Perry's pace to peak for Proteas, playoffs

Australia head coach Matthew Mott believes the pace of Ellyse Perry could yet play a crucial role for his team as they reach the business end of the Women's World Cup.

After six round matches, Perry has taken seven wickets at 35.57, two of those scalps coming against India in Bristol on Wednesday.

And while some of her earlier outings with the ball were below the lofty standards she's set for herself in almost 10 years of international cricket, including 0-58 against New Zealand, she bounced back with a disciplined display against India to finish the best of Australia's bowlers.

"The conditions have played a part (in her performances) on some really flat wickets, but there's s no reason she can't be more effective," Mott said.

"Her plans against India were really good and she seemed to bowl a bit fuller and straighter and targeted the stumps.

"That's a big one for her, also change of pace on these wickets - you need to be a bit unpredictable at times and get the batsmen out of their tempo.

"I saw some really good signs there and I think she hit her areas pretty well."

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The allrounder is already leading the way for Australia with the bat, having scored four consecutive half-centuries in the tournament.

And although Australia's three-pronged spin attack has been doing the bulk of the damage with the ball for the defending champions, Mott still believes Perry can replicate the form that saw her snare 16 wickets at 13.43 during the last Ashes on English soil two years ago.

"She has battled through some injuries and she's been getting her volume back," Mott said, referring to the serious hamstring tear that sidelined Perry for Australia's home series against New Zealand in February. 

"But I see her improving game by game and hopefully at the pointy end of the competition she'll come to the fore."

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Perry's remarkable consistency with the bat has continued this tournament, the allrounder notching 311 runs at 103.66 in six innings.

On Wednesday, she shared an unbeaten 124-run stand with captain Meg Lanning to guide Australia into the semi-finals, finishing unbeaten on 60.

Perry's average is currently 51.39 and she's passed fifty in 21 of her last 29 innings. 

Curiously, an international century still eludes the 26-year-old, but Mott hopes that maiden ton might just be produced at the best possible time, on the biggest stage, next week. 

"She's incredibly dependable and often the spine of our innings, in combination with Meg who takes the attack to the opposition a little more," Mott said.

"They're the perfect foil for each other. They've put on a lot of big partnerships together.

"Partnerships are a focus for our group and we had three solid ones against India. 

"Perry's numbers in the last two years have been phenomenal to be honest, she just keeps racking up those half-centuries.

'Hopefully she's saving one of those hundreds for the semi or the final because that's the last thing she needs to tick off."

Women's World Cup Guide

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News, highlights and full schedule

Australia World Cup squad: Sarah Aley, Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell (vc), Nicole Bolton, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning (c), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

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