Ellyse Perry became the youngest Australian ever to play senior international cricket when she made her debut in the second ODI of the Rose Bowl series at Darwin in July 2007 before her 17th birthday. Considered a genuine all-round prospect at the start of her career - she toured New Zealand with the Australian under-23 team early in 2007 - Perry's stellar rise has seen her take on the role of pace spearhead in the Australian bowling attack.

Australia had been looking for a replacement for fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who retired in March 2007, and Perry settled into the role. For a time that was uncertain - as she also had the alluring prospect of a long-term career in soccer and was representing the Matildas when the call-up to the national cricket side came. Her future in cricket had been secured when she was in the group of the first women cricketers to be handed contracts by Cricket Australia in 2008.

She made her Test debut, against England, in the same year, and also made headlines when her unbeaten 29, which included a massive straight six, and four wickets lead Australia to a 21-run win over England in a Twenty20 at the MCG. As her career has progressed, it is her bowling that has proved her stronger suit, and she picked up her maiden five-wicket haul in an ODI against New Zealand in February 2010. Three months later, she was Australia's leading wicket-taker at the Women's World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, and it was no surprise when she was named Player of the Match in the final: her three cheap wickets helped restrict New Zealand's run chase and crown Australia world champions in the format.

Perry also went on to represent Australia in World Cup football, the first woman to represent the country in World Cups in two sports.
Liam Brickhill