Daijiworld Media Network - Perth
Perth, Mar 7: Veteran all-rounder Ellyse Perry said she was enjoying her time at the crease after becoming Australia’s highest run-scorer in women’s Test cricket on day two of the one-off pink-ball match against India at the WACA Ground in Perth on Saturday.
The 35-year-old surpassed the previous record held by Karen Rolton, who had scored 1,002 Test runs. Perry crossed the 1,000-run milestone with a single and then drove a boundary to move past Rolton’s mark. She was eventually dismissed for 76, trapped lbw by Deepti Sharma, taking her career tally to 1,006 Test runs.
Speaking to broadcasters during the tea break, Perry reflected on the moment and the partnership that helped Australia build a strong position.
“It feels like I’ve been around for a long time now,” Perry said. “But it was a really enjoyable session batting with Annabel Sutherland. She’s just so classy. Watching her from the other end was fantastic.”
Perry and Sutherland put together a 128-run stand for the third wicket, a partnership that shifted momentum firmly in Australia’s favour and helped the hosts secure a 19-run lead by the end of the first session.
Perry said the pair had started to build momentum toward the end of the previous evening’s play and expected conditions to become slightly easier for batting the next morning.
“The quick bowlers had put in a lot of overs last night, so we thought there might be opportunities today to settle into the innings,” she explained. “Annabel was phenomenal in that partnership. It was great fun building that stand together.”
She also noted that the pitch conditions were less challenging than on the opening day of the match.
“Yesterday it felt like every ball was seaming one way or the other and was very hard to read. Today it’s been a bit truer, so you can trust your shots more. There’s also a bit more spin developing in the wicket, which should make the contest interesting for the rest of the game,” Perry said.
In addition to her batting milestone, Perry has also taken 39 wickets in women’s Tests, making her the only female cricketer to score over 1,000 Test runs and claim more than 30 wickets in the format.
Looking ahead, Perry said Australia’s deep batting lineup could help the team push its advantage further.
“We’ve got a very strong batting order, so it will be interesting to see how we build from here,” she said. “If we can put up a big total over the next couple of sessions, it will give us a great chance to attack with the ball later in the match.”