AUSSIES’ BEST TO COME
ELLYSE Perry warned England to expect Australia to get even better after her seven-wicket haul left the hosts all out for 75 in the third one-day international and sixpoints down in the women’s Ashes series.
Perry took Australian women ODI record figures of 7-22 as England fell to their lowest ever ODI score against the old enemy, losing by 194 runs. Needing a record run chase of 270 they instead trumped their low against Australia of 79 in 2000.
Perry feels this game will be far from the peak performance for Australia on this tour and is looking for her side to be just as dominant and better all-round in the Test in Taunton on July 18, where a draw is all that is required to retain the Ashes.
“We’ve improved in every single game and heading into the Test match we’ve got more improvement left in us,” Perry said.
“It’s very much within our culture and style to play aggressive cricket and we want to do that no matter what the situation. These Test matches come around once every couple of years and it’s a big responsibility to play really great cricket and in a way that is entertaining.”
Beginning with her bunny Amy Jones (0), who she has dismissed three times in eight balls in at this level, Perry cut a swath through the England top-order, getting the crucial wicket of second ODI centurion Tammy Beaumont (4) and Sarah Taylor (0) in consecutive balls of her second over.
After strike partner Megan Schutt (2-21) dismissed Natalie Scriver (0), Perry added the scalps of skipper Heather Knight (5) and Danni Wyatt (1) to leave England at 6-21.
When Schutt took the wicket of Fran Wilson (17), Perry made it known she wanted back on and finished her ten overs leaving Anya Shrubsole (11) and Sophie Ecclestone (0) also in her wake.
England coach Mark Robinson admitted his side had no answer to Perry.
“You’ve got to be good enough technically and strong enough mentally to keep knocking them down the ground, or play them straight,” Robinson said. “At the moment we’re not, we’re playing round the pads and it’s getting us into trouble.”
Earlier, Australia reached 7-269 in their innings, a score that seemed a little disappointing from a start of 1-130 in the 23rd over before Meg Lanning (69) and Alyssa Healy (68) both gave away their wickets.