Quantcast

Perry could be promoted up T20 order: Mott

Superstar's irresistible form makes it likely the Australians will push Perry up as they seek an outright Ashes series win

Ellyse Perry's form with bat in hand across the past seven months could be rewarded with a shift up the order of Australia's T20I side, coach Matthew Mott says.

Perry was been peerless with bat and ball since arriving in the United Kingdom for the ongoing women's Ashes tour. So far she's hit a knock of 62 in the second one-dayer before claiming the best ever ODI figures by an Australian woman just days later in the third, taking a ruthless 7-22 that tore England apart in Canterbury.

Ellyse Perry's record-breaking spell dismantles England

Then, in the one-off Test, she was simply superb with bat in hand scoring 116 and 76no, while she also bowled what was arguably the ball of the match to remove England opener Tammy Beaumont for a duck.

This comes off the back of a golden summer in the Rebel WBBL, where she scored 744 runs at an average 93 in 15 innings, easily surpassing the previous mark for most runs in a single edition of the tournament.

Perry again leads the way as Aussie secure Ashes

The most notable aspect of that tournament was Perry's strike rate: at 123.17, it was well above the 98.57 she scored at the previous season.

The 28-year-old allrounder batted at No.7 during Australia's successful T20 World Cup campaign in the West Indies in November, with Australia instead stacking their top order with their hardest-hitting batters: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner, Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning.

Perry's stunner brings Beaumont undone before lunch

But her form, and the work she's put into making herself a more versatile and attacking T20 player – widening her range of shots and scoring areas – could see her promoted for the first of three Ashes T20Is against England in Chelmsford on Friday night.

"I think the form she's in, it's definitely worth considering," Mott said at the conclusion of the one-off Ashes Test in Taunton on Sunday.

"I think the (approach) we've had where she's played in that middle order has worked, but every series we go into we review that and that's something we'll look at in the next couple of days.

"The gut feel is it would be hard to leave her (down the order) the form she's in.

Patient Perry posts second Ashes Test ton

"I think even just the way she's playing to come down the wicket first ball of a Test match and hit the ball hard, I think her evolution over the last 12 months has been outstanding and will fit well and blend into our T20 plan over here."

Australia have already retained the multi-format women's Ashes after winning all three ODIs and drawing the Test and they'll take an 8-2 lead into the three T20Is.

With a goal of winning the Ashes outright and of remaining undefeated on this tour, Australian selectors will have some big calls to make come Friday, with plenty of players putting their hands up for spots in the XI.

One of the toughest decisions will be the make-up of the bowling attack, with spinner Sophie Molineux successfully returning from injury for the Test, to vie for a spot alongside leg-spinner Georgia Wareham and fellow left-arm tweaker Jess Jonassen, while pace bowlers Tayla Vlaeminck, Delissa Kimmince and Nicola Carey are also in the mix.

"One again there's going to be some really hard decisions come into it," Mott said. "We'll probably leave it for a day or two see what comes out of this, the niggles that come out of it and then form our squad from there."

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 Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole (vc), Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor

Australia lead England 8-2


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

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol