Sydney FC coach Daniel Barrett accepts Ellyse Perry’s decision to choose cricket over W-League grand final

SYDNEY FC coach Daniel Barrett has accepted Ellyse Perry’s decision to play cricket for Australia rather than turn out for the Sky Blues in the W-League grand final on Sunday.

W League

SYDNEY FC coach Daniel Barrett has accepted Ellyse Perry’s decision to play cricket for Australia in their dead-rubber against India at the SCG on Sunday rather than turn out for the Sky Blues in the W-League grand final.

Barrett had been hoping Perry would choose football over cricket and included her in his initial squad for the huge clash against Melbourne City, but the dual star informed him on Friday night of her decision to remain with the Australian cricket team instead.

Sydney play City at AAMI Park in Melbourne at the same time as the Southern Stars host India in the final T20 match of the series, which has already been lost.

“She’s representing her country, which has a stake over anything,” Barrett said. “You don’t know how long you’re going to represent your country for.”

It’s a familiar juggling act for Perry, but she has had a busier summer than usual even by her standards.

Ellyse Perry the cricketer.

The 25-year-old captained the Sydney Sixers in all 16 matches during the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League season, but she still managed to play five of 13 matches for Sydney in the W-League. Her last football game was against Perth Glory on December 13, just hours after she lead the Sixers against Brisbane Heat that same day.

“Ellyse Perry is an absolute professional and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, to be totally honest,” Barrett said.

“Ellyse has been totally committed to the Sydney FC cause, as I’m sure she has been with her cricket commitments. She can tell that she’s unavailable for a weekend game, but she won’t miss a training session leading up to the match.

“She goes beyond the call of duty when it comes to that. How she does it I don’t know, because her performances for us this year have been brilliant. She hasn’t had one bad game.”

In 2013 Perry chose to play a W-League semi-final match for Sydney over a T20 final for the NSW Breakers, but her decision to skip Sunday’s grand final is perhaps an indication of where her future commitments lie.

Last week she took home the Belinda Clark medal after being named Australia’s best female cricketer and Sunday’s match against India, even with nothing at stake, is still important preparation for the Southern Stars ahead of the World T20 in India.

Originally published as Sydney FC coach Daniel Barrett accepts Ellyse Perry’s decision to choose cricket over W-League grand final