Ellyse Perry: The World's Greatest Women's All-Rounder
How Ellyse Perry dominated women's cricket across two decades, represented Australia in both cricket and football, and became the benchmark for women's all-rounders globally.
The Dual International
Ellyse Perry is the only Australian to represent the country in both cricket and football at World Cups. She played in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2009 ICC Women's World Cup — the only Australian of either sex to complete this dual international achievement. She chose cricket as her primary sport in 2010, a decision that enabled her to become the most decorated women's cricketer in history with multiple World Cups and Ashes series. Her football talent was sufficient that she was also a serious Australia striker; cricket's gain was football's loss.
All-Round Numbers
Perry has scored over 5,000 ODI runs and taken over 300 ODI wickets — the first women's cricketer to complete the 'double double' of 1,000 runs and 200 wickets in both ODIs and T20Is. Her bowling average is under 22 in ODIs. Her batting average is over 48 in Tests. She has scored multiple Test centuries and taken multiple five-wicket hauls in Tests — a combination that no women's all-rounder has matched. As a standalone batter she would be among the best in women's cricket; as a standalone bowler she would be among the best. Both together make her a unique cricketing figure.
The 2019 World Cup Injury and 2020 Final
Perry suffered a serious hamstring injury before the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup that limited her bowling throughout the tournament. Australia reached the final at the MCG against India with Perry operating as a batter only. She scored an important 14 in the final as Australia won in what became the most watched women's cricket match in history. Her presence — even injured — was a rallying point; her absence from the bowling crease was felt but absorbed by the team around her.
Cultural Impact in Australian Sport
Perry has been the most visible face of the women's cricket growth story in Australia. Her commercial partnerships, media presence, and public profile elevated women's cricket from a niche sport to mainstream entertainment in Australia between 2015 and 2025. She was ranked the most influential woman in Australian sport multiple times. Her willingness to discuss work-life balance, training approaches, and the physical demands of dual-format cricket professionally opened conversations about women's sport infrastructure that had previously been closed.
Legacy
Perry's retirement from international cricket, when it comes, will leave a gap in women's cricket's global profile that will take years to fill. She has been the sport's most complete player and most recognisable figure simultaneously — a combination that rarely aligns. The next generation of women's cricketers — Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma — were watching Perry when they began. Her example of what all-round excellence looks like in women's cricket will shape their development and the coaches who work with them.