Meet the only sportsperson to have played both Football and Cricket World Cup

Ellyse Perry is arguably the best player in Australia’s Women Cricket team, with both the bat and ball. The Aussie all-rounder has achieved enormous success at the highest level in football as well.

Perry made her International cricket and football debut at the age of 16. She is the first Australian to have made an appearance in both Cricket and Football World Cups.

Football Career:

Two weeks after debuting in International cricket, Perry played her first International football match, an Olympic qualifying match against Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Football Club, on 4 August 2007. Defender by position, Perry in the 2008 Asian Cup, and scored in one of the matches.

Ellyse Perry was named in Australia women’s national soccer team (Matildas) for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. Perry came on as a substitute in the group fixture against Norway, becoming the first Australian woman to represent Australia at a senior World Cup in two different sports.

Perry started in the quarter-final clash against Sweden her solitary goal was not enough as Australia exited the World Cup after 3-1 loss.

Perry played for Central Coast Mariners during the 2008/09 season of the Australian women’s football league.

Perry juggled the two sports for some time but distanced from football eventually but has often admitted that she misses it.

Honours in Cricket:

• Perry won Women’s Cricket World Cup with Australia in 2013 besides three Women’s World Twenty20 triumphs – in 2014, 2012 and 2010.
• Her ODI statistics are far from impressive – a staggering batting average of 51.83 after 97 appearances and on top of that 130 wickets at an impressive bowling average of 25.62.
• In the shortest format, Ellyse Perry is Australia’s leading wicket-taker with 84 wickets from 90 T20I matches.
• Ellyse Perry won ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award in 2017.
• Perry is the youngest ever Australian Test cricketer (17 years and three months).