BRISBANE, Sep 17: Star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who is set to lead the home side’s depleted bowling attack in the upcoming ODI series against India, sees this as an “opportunity” with the new ball in the absence of regular pacer Megan Schutt.
India’s tour of Australia begins with the opening ODI at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on September 21 and concludes with third and final T20I at the Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast on October 10.
With Australia without the services of pacers Schutt and Tayla Vlaeminck and spinner Jess Jonassen, Perry is set reprise her new-ball role in the opening ODI.
“With Megan Schutt missing for this series there might be more opportunity there with the new ball, especially initially,” Perry was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“That still very much depends on performance but I think there will be a fair bit of change in between the attack, just managing people’s workloads given that a number of us went through 14 days’ quarantine before this,” she added.
Australia’s leading women’s wicket-taker across all formats, Perry, was recovering from a hamstring injury and hence did not feature in a single ODI in 2020.
Earlier this year, in the series against New Zealand she just bowled six overs in the first two matches.
“Last summer I was grateful just to be back on the park … a lot was made of the limited impact I had with the ball, and it’s been a really great challenge to continue to evolve and try and improve that.
“Right the way across my career I’ve always really enjoyed the challenge of trying to get better and evolve my game because I think the game’s evolved so much.
“To have such a long period of time over the off-season to (train) in Victoria has been really good … obviously I’ve still got to perform and translate that back onto the park but I’m looking forward to the summer ahead.”
One of just seven bowlers to have taken 150 wickets in women’s ODIs, Perry had a career-best year in 2019, claiming 21 ODI wickets at 13.52.
“Physically, I don’t feel any different almost 18 months down the track from that (hamstring injury), and I think the numbers are one thing and then the other side of it is playing a role for the team and contributing to how we want to play,” she explained.
“As the personnel in our team evolves or we change that, your role as an individual slightly changes too, and it’s about balancing that within a group,” she said.
The multi-format series comprises three ODIs, a day-night Test and three T20s. The Test will be played from September 30 to October 3 in Canberra. (PTI)
