PURE PERRY IS A TRUE NO.3 IN O’KEEFE’S EYES
ELLYSE Perry doesn’t need any more endorsements of her talent, but former Test spinner Kerry O’Keeffe sees the Australian all-rounder as a perfect number three bat – for the Aussie men’s team.
O’Keeffe was in awe of Perry’s match-changing 213 not out against England last week that was a defining moment of her Test and career.
After Perry came in at four, she settled a shaky first innings for Australia with her first-ever 100 and then steered them to a commanding position.
“Technically, she’s the purest of anybody,” the Triple M commentator said.
“Her bowling action is the ideal action to bowl outswing. Her batting action is ideal to bat three for the men’s Test team because she plays so late and she plays straight on.
“Of course, she lacks the power, but for the women, she hits it powerfully. I rate her. If you had to do a coaching video, I’d use her.”
Perry batted for about eight hours across two days and she wrested the upper hand from England and gave it back to her own team.
Australia had bowled out England for 280 but a slow start by our own top order that had only tallied 54 runs from 190 deliveries when Perry came walked out to the middle and it left the her with a run rate to accelerate and match to get back on course.
Alex Blackwell fell after her and Perry had put on just even runs together, but from then, Perry formed partnerships of 34, 73, 102, 103, 47 and saw out the rest of the Australian order.
O’Keeffe marvelled at an incredible effort, but one he savoured as a viewer.