Quantcast

Edwards thinks Perry will get even better

The England great believes Ellyse Perry is still on the improve and can continue to re-write the record books in the coming years

England's most-decorated captain Charlotte Edwards already rates Ellyse Perry as the best women's cricketer of all time, but expects her to set the bar even higher in the coming years.

Edwards, generally regarded as her country's best-ever player, first played against a 17-year-old Perry in 2008 when she was very much a bowler who batted.

Fast-forward 11 years and the trajectory of Perry's career is doing anything but dipping.

In the most unsurprising of decisions, Perry was voted the player of the women's Ashes series after finishing as the leading scorer with 378 runs at a Bradmanesque average of 94.50, and at the top of the leading wicket-taker of the series with 15 wickets at under 13.

"I loved playing against her and she's definitely improved a lot since I stopped playing," Edwards said.

"You knew then she'd become an unbelievable batter, she was mainly a bowler in my career and now we see what an unbelievable allrounder she is and the greatest female player we're ever going to see.

"In one skill alone, in terms of bowling or batting she'd be a great.

"And she's getting better and better with age, she's only 28, it's quite scary really to think what she can achieve in the next few years."

Perry ready to celebrate after dominant Ashes series

Rather than her natural "God-given athletic ability" which England coach Mark Robinson said was a difference between her and England players, Edwards points to her ultra-competitiveness.

"One thing all the great players share is that competitiveness, the desire to want to be better," Edwards said.

"That just strikes me every single time I watch her warm up and she treats the last game of the series like the first game of the series.

"She wants to win and it's something sometimes you can't coach that. That's something very special about her.

"She's so competitive and hates getting out and that's a good thing. She values her wicket but equally she knows her game very well."

If there was a minuscule chink in her armour previously, it was her scoring rate in Twenty20 cricket, but her unbeaten 60 off 50 balls, including three sixes, shows how dangerous she can be without corrupting her natural correct technique.

Perry will be the reluctant, but deserved, spotlight of attention during the T20 World Cup on home soil in February next year when her status as one of Australia's greatest ever sports figures should be consolidated.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England T20 squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

Australia defeated England 12-4


First ODI: Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Third ODI:  Australia won by 194 runs

Only Test: Match Drawn

First T20: Australia won by 93 runs

Second T20: Australia won by seven wickets

July 31: England won by 17 runs