The sun always shines the brightest on everyone, except only a few can reciprocate its luminosity. For there a some, a precious few, who have that bright sparkle within.
So much so that it rubs off on lives
around them, further brightening the world that’s often engulfed by darkness. In the world of motor racing there was Lena Lombardi and now, the likes of Marta Garcia Lopez and Emma Kimilainen. Athletes with beaming positivity and commitment to their craft. Then there’s Marta Viera Da Silva in the world of soccer.
The world of women’s basketball has been blessed to have the likes of Tamika Catchings and A’ja Wilson. These are women who’ve proven that niceness and sun beaming energy can coexist with fantastical success on the court or on the field of their dreams.
But where it comes to the world of Cricket, one struggles to identify an athlete as committed to excellence as dedicated to being selfless and simple as Ellyse Perry.
36 today but not before claiming 337 wickets and striking 8,255 runs in an Australian jersey for international duties. She was all of 17 when she debuted for Australia, arriving in one day cricket before debuting in other formats.
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And the zeal to strive for Australia whilst giving everything to the team was evident from the word go. In her maiden game, Perry struck a timely 19 off 20 but prior to that lower order hitting had already claimed the prized wickets of Sara McGlashan and Maria Fahey.
170 one day internationals later, Perry is still at it. In her most recent ODI, she struck 65 off 64 against Bangladesh and had bowling figures of 5 overs 10 runs for 1 wicket. A bowling economy of 2 ridiculed not just her opponents but those who lessen cricket’s virtue by deeming it as only a batter’s game.
And in between her phenomenal ODI career that began in 2007, a time when Australian cricket’s biggest news makers were Warne and Ponting, Ellyse Perry has struck an Ashes double hundred, taken her Test batting average to the nearabouts of 60, and has picked up 131 T20I wickets whilst still keeping a bowling economy of under 6. It’s 5.84 with 142 bowling appearances for Australia in T20I cricket.
When the right hander comes out to bat, you don’t expect explosive hits. But you get that sense of frustration knowing her penchant to hang around long enough to find the gaps any over she wants whilst wearing down the bowlers or fielders. She’s hit 50 half centuries in white ball cricket.
When she comes out to bowl, the last thing you come to expect is predictable line and length or the draining display of bowling just around the off stump line.
You can expect the slower bouncer, the toe touching Yorker and a mix of cutters and speedsters that catch you either by surprise or quite simply napping.
In a game where a lot of data analysis is done to suggest patterns or predict outcomes, predictability isn’t something you associate with Ellyse Perry; commitment to the Australian cause and that ‘hard-as-nails’ toughness you most certainly do.
For someone who played under various captains, debuting under the great Karen Rolton, then playing under Jodie Fields, Alex Blackwell before came along a certain Meg Lanning and finally, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry is still going strong whilst all of the remarkable Australians have vacated the pitch.
Her latest captain Sophie Molineux can’t stop praising the great all rounder, a trait common with each the distinguished leader Perry played under. Her contemporaries- whether Anabel Sutherland, who can’t stop worshipping her idol or Tahlia McGrath endlessly praise Perry.
Rather remarkably, Perry has even found a new home away from Australia in the Women’s IPL where she’s as central to the chances- and success- of the RCB women as you’re about enjoying when out to watch a Jim Carrey special.
She and Mandhana were epic in their 2025 season when the Bengaluru side lifted the IPL title even before their male counterparts did.
But what’s intrinsic to Ellyse Perry’s success is how gutsy and tireless she is. About how committed she is to carry the weight of being a principled athlete, one who cheerfully carries the body through the drudge time after time, all for Australia’s cause.
Never for self glory. There may be pauses in the form of a back ache, niggle, tendon injury or minor scuffle but no full stops in the journey of a remarkable Australian that cricket is glad to have for Football could so easily have taken her away. And for all she’s done and can still do knowing her remarkable commitment to excel, it’s plausible to say there are still more aces up her sleeve for that’s just Ellyse Perry’s way!
Happy birthday to a true champion of our game, not just women’s cricket.
