Murray Wenzel |
Ellyse Perry continues to plunder runs in her second coming but it’s a bowling overhaul she’s relished that could have the biggest Ashes impact.
A star of the side since her international debut in 2007, the all-rounder was an onlooker unable to crack the best XI when Australia won Commonwealth Games gold last year.
Perry found another gear at the crease though, forcing her way back into the short-form side to help Australia to the T20 World Cup title in February.
Averaging 75 in a 10-Test career that includes a double century, Perry’s position in Australia’s top order for this month’s five-day fixture against England has been strengthened further in the absence of captain Meg Lanning.
She warmed up for the Test at Trent Bridge starting on June 22 with an unbeaten century in Australia’s intra-squad hit-out in Brisbane this week.
But the 32-year-old, who debuted for Australia as a tearaway 16-year-old quick, told AAP it was her bowling that’s been under the microscope ahead of the multi-format Ashes series.
“I’ve loved it actually,” she said of sessions with former Queensland quick and Australian women’s assistant coach Scott Prestwidge.
“It’s come a bit full circle. The challenge was to develop as a batter after getting my opportunity as a bowler. Now it’s back to developing some things in my bowling to play a bigger role again.”
Perry’s raw pace as a teenager was enough to shoot her to the top of the queue.
But the depth of talent now means there are options, Perry often used sparingly in a team stacked with versatile weapons.
But coach Shelley Nitschke and new captain Alyssa Healy have flagged the possibility of playing two leg-spinners – Alana King and Georgia Wareham – as well as off-spinner Jess Jonassen in their Test XI.
Having Perry firing with the ball, as well as the bat would help allow that.
Sessions with Prestwidge have focused on quicker movement through the crease by reducing the height of her jump and time spent on her back foot while loading up.
“My body, in this last little bit, has felt really great,” Perry said.
“I had a patch there fighting against things, so I’ve been working hard to get back to that and am having a nice run at it.
“I feel really free from that point of view. It’s been a fun process.”
With that in mind, Perry has no plans to pull up stumps on her career despite now being able to boast that she’s spent half of her life in the national program.
“I’d love to still be involved as long as people like me around,” she said.
“It’s restrictive to think you can play for ‘x’ many years.
“But it might be a case that I can wake up tomorrow and it might not be the same for me.”
AAP