Perry poised to make a mark on NZ ODIs

Meg Lanning has tipped Ellyse Perry to play a major role with both bat and ball for Australia as they attempt to make history in their three upcoming one-day internationals against New Zealand.

On return from a long-term hamstring injury, Perry played a limited role during the three-match T20I series, batting at No.6 and bowling just one over across the first two games before the third was washed out after 2.5 overs.

Her minor role with ball in hand in particular raised eyebrows, given Perry had bowled in every T20I she played for Australia between 2015 and the first match of this series in Hamilton.

The 30-year-old has batted down the order in T20s for the past two years; Australia made the shift in the lead-up to the 2018 T20 World Cup when they looked to supercharge their top-order with their most aggressive strikers and keep Perry as insurance lower down, given her technical correctness but lower strike rate compared to her teammates.

However, Perry is the world’s top-ranked allrounder in ODIs and has been a fixture at No.4 in the one-day batting order since 2014. 

Her ability to occupy the crease for longer periods is more suited to the 50-over game, where she averages 52.10, while Lanning said she also expected her teammate to be given more opportunity with the ball in the next three games.

The three-game ODI series, where Australia will aim to win a record 22nd consecutive one-day game, will be Perry’s first 50-over matches at international level since October 2019.

"She’s played a massive role for us, particularly in ODIs in the last five years," Lanning said on Thursday.

"She’s got an exceptional record and is well experienced in that format.

"I daresay she will play a bigger role for us, there’s more overs to bowl as well.

"She’ll get her chance throughout the ODI series.

"She’s been working really hard to get back into form, she’s coming back off a really serious injury and what we’ve seen of her in this series so far has been exciting and (we’re) looking forward to seeing her play in the longer format."

However, the emergence of 22-year-old fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck and the Australian coaching team’s commitment to using her pace up front could force Perry – who has opened the bowling alongside Megan Schutt in the last 15 ODIs they have played together – into a different role for those matches at Tauranga’s Bay Oval.

"The fast bowling side of things is, at the moment, the area where we have a couple of new players in Tayla and Darcie (Brown) and it’s exciting to see," Lanning continued.

"Ellyse still has a big role to play for us but the more variety we have, that will play a big role for us moving forward.

"It’s nice to see those young players come in and take the game by the scruff of the neck and be aggressive.

"Ellyse is extremely competitive and loves representing Australia.

"She loves working on her game and I’m sure she would love to be batting higher and bowling more overs and she is doing everything she can to get herself back into that position.

"I hope to see the best of her in the ODI series."

"People who can bat for long periods of time and making those match-winning contributions are extremely important to have in your side and Ellyse has shown over a long period of time she can do that."

Lanning also backed Perry, who has proven her ability to continually revamp her game across a 14-year international career, to make improvements in the 20-over game to ensure she remains a vital member of the Australia XI.

"All the bowlers are trying to improve on their games all the time," Lanning said.

"Ideally if you’re an option in all three phases of the game, it allows you to bowl more overs.

"That’s something we’ve spoken with Ellyse about, she’s worked really hard on her bowling and consistency coming back from a serious injury.

"She’s still working her way back. Ultimately for me it comes back to match-ups and the game situation in terms of who I go to at certain times.

"She’s an option and (is) working really hard."

CommBank tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia ODI & T20I Squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck

New Zealand ODI squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Amy Satterthwaite (vice-capt), Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek - (games 2 & 3 only), Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Hannah Rowe (game 1 only), Lea Tahuhu

1st T20: Australia won by six wickets

2nd T20: New Zealand won by four wickets

3rd T20: Play abandoned due to rain

1st ODI: April 4, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 9am AEDT

2nd ODI: April 7, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

3rd ODI: April 10, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo