Ellyse Perry Shines with 91 as Australia Overpowers Ireland in WODI
Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry showcased her exceptional form by smashing a magnificent 91 off 99 balls against Ireland in the second Women’s One Day International (WODI) at the Clontarf Cricket Club ground in Dublin. Perry’s innings powered Australia to a dominant total of 321/7 in their allotted 50 overs. With a three-wicket haul from Georgia Wareham, Australia eventually bowled out Ireland for 168, securing a convincing victory.
Perry took charge at the crease when Phoebe Litchfield fell early. Alongside Alyssa Healy, she steadied the ship with a valuable 36-run partnership. However, Australia lost two quick wickets after Healy’s dismissal. Perry then combined forces with Beth Mooney, stitching together an impressive 106-run partnership that guided Australia to safer shores. Later, she added another 54 runs with Ashleigh Gardner, taking the total beyond the 200-run mark. Georgina Dempsey finally dismissed Perry for an impressive 91.
Perry’s remarkable consistency in WODIs for Australia makes her a stalwart in the squad. This knock of 91 marks her third consecutive 50-plus score in five matches. Notably, Perry struck 91 in the second WODI against England, followed by a solid 53 in the third WODI. She also contributed 41 runs in the first WODI against England.
Moreover, Perry’s innings against Ireland is her sixth score in the 90s in WODIs. With this accomplishment, she now holds the record for the most number of scores in the 90s in this format. Perry surpasses the likes of Mithali Raj and Stafanie Taylor, who share five scores each in the 90s in WODIs. Noteworthy players such as Belinda Clark, Charlotte Edwards, Smriti Mandhana, and Lizelle Lee have accumulated four such scores in their careers.
Not limited to her batting prowess, Perry achieved an extraordinary feat by completing 6,000 international runs in women’s cricket. This landmark makes her the first woman ever to achieve both 6,000 runs and 300-plus wickets in international cricket. Throughout her illustrious career, the veteran has amassed 6,165 runs in international women’s cricket across formats in 288 matches. Additionally, Perry has claimed an impressive 323 wickets for Australia, solidifying her status as Australia’s most-capped female cricketer.
Perry’s reliability as a batter in WODIs makes her the fourth-highest run-scorer for Australia Women. Only Belinda Clark (4,844), Karen Rolton (4,814), and Meg Lanning (4,602) surpass her in terms of runs in this format. On the bowling front, Perry stands as the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia in WODIs, with an impressive tally of 162 wickets. She is only behind the legendary Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who has 180 scalps to her name.
In the match against Ireland, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Although they had a scrappy start, Perry’s crucial partnerships with Mooney and Gardner, as well as valuable contributions from Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham, helped propel Australia to a mammoth total of 321/7. Ireland’s Georgina Dempsey emerged as the standout performer with career-best figures of 4/54.
With this commanding victory over Ireland, Australia maintains their dominance in the world of women’s cricket. Ellyse Perry’s exceptional display of skill and prowess has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in their success, further cementing her reputation as one of the game’s finest talents.
