Women's World Cup 2022: Ellyse Perry On Track For World Cup Final

Ellyse Perry is expected to avoid a second World Cup final heartbreak by playing in Sunday’s showpiece against England, with the game’s top player on track to participate in the sport’s biggest event.

In Christchurch, where Australia is seeking to recapture the trophy against champions England, Australia’s great allrounder will play as a specialist batter.

Ellyse Perry has been out of Australia’s previous two matches in New Zealand due to back spasms she had when bowling in a group-stage triumph against South Africa 12 days ago.

She failed a physical test to participate in the semi-final versus West Indies, sparking fears that she would suffer a similar fate to Perry, who was denied the chance to play in the T20 World Cup final on home soil two years ago due to a hamstring injury.

Ellyse Perry can play as a specialist bat: Captain Meg Lanning

Captain Meg Lanning reported Perry had come through a crunch fitness test on Friday, and the only barrier now is how she recovers from a lighter runout on Saturday.

“Ellyse got through a pretty hard and high-intensity session yesterday and she’s trained again today and is feeling pretty good,” Lanning said.

“It’ll just depend on how she pulls up this afternoon at this stage, it’s looking pretty good.

“We feel like we’ll have a full squad to pick from.”

Perry’s ailment has denied her the chance to bowl in the nets, meaning Saturday’s selection meeting will focus on her ability to produce with the bat alone.

Perry’s illness has prevented her from bowling in the nets, so Saturday’s selection meeting will be based solely on her ability to deliver with the bat.

Lanning said she wouldn’t hesitate to pick the 31-year-old purely as a batter because of his 50.02 batting average in one-day games.

“She can play as a specialized bat,” she remarked, adding that this is the most likely scenario.

“She hasn’t bowled in a few weeks, and it would be difficult for her to come out and bowl in a final if she hadn’t.”

The International Cricket Council declared Perry the finest female cricketer of the last decade.

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