Australian medium-pacer Megan Schutt feels it will be crazy if Ellyse Perry cannot take the field on Sunday in the ICC Women World Cup final against England at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Perry complained of a back issue during the league stage match against South Africa after bowling only three overs and also didn’t bat.
Consequently, she was ruled out of the semifinal fixture against West Indies and the league stage match against Bangladesh.
Perry has thus far scored 146 runs in six matches for Australia at an average of 48.66 and a strike rate of 70.87, with the help of one fifty in the ongoing ODI showpiece. Furthermore, she has taken five wickets in six matches at an average of 27.40 and an economy rate of 4.72.
In fact, Perry has had a successful career but she had missed the semifinal and the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup on home turf due to a hamstring injury.
“My first thought when we heard she was having back spasms (was) ‘surely she’s not missing another World Cup final?’,” she said. “It’s a tough break for someone who’s had such a long and successful career, it’d be crazy if she couldn’t take the field on Sunday.
“One plus is we have a whole bench to back that up. As much as I would love Pez to be on that field, and she would too, we know we’ve got the replacements, but hopefully, it doesn’t come.”
The 31-year old veteran had trained on Friday but she didn’t bowl in the nets, as reported by cricket.com.au. Australia is expected to take a call on Perry after Saturday’s training session.
Meanwhile, Australia had last won the 50-overs World Cup back in 2013 and they will be looking to clinch their seventh title.
“That was a very long time ago, we were a very different team. It’s almost a 180 flip and what that brought was a level of accountability and professionalism we didn’t have back then,” Schutt said.
“That was the kick up the butt we kind of needed. That created a really good dynasty for us and it’s nice five years later to be in a final.”
Australia will play their first match of the tournament at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch whereas England has already played two matches at the venue.
