Canberra United star Ellyse Perry discusses juggling international careers in both football and cricket.
You’d think by now Ellyse Perry would have had enough of that question.
You must know the one … the one Perry gets asked about at least, well, about 163 times a day. Let’s make that 164.
So we ask the dual international – and the only Australian female to play at a World Cup in both cricket and football – that question.
“So Ellyse, when are you going to decide between cricket and football?”
You wait for the roll of the eyes and ‘next question please’ line but instead Perry smiles and thanks you for the line of inquiry.
“I feel so fortunate to be in this situation and it’s nice to have that questions asked,” she said.
“I absolutely love what I do and I feel very, very fortunate to be in the position where I’m able to play both.”
“It’s just too hard to make a decision and guess I don’t really need to while it’s working out so well.”
“For as long as that’s still the case I would love to continue doing both.”
“Thanks to FFA and Canberra and Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW, I have been able to keep going in the two sports without too many clashes.”
But you can’t be in two places at once and fixture conflicts are inevitable, as was the case last weekend.
Perry was due to suit up for the NSW Breakers cricket team at the same time Canberra United were to do battle in Adelaide on the opening weekend of the Westfield W-League.
One had to give. This time it was football.
Next time around it could be cricket.
Twenty-year-old Perry explained: “Generally what’s worked best is sitting down with both clubs and letting them decide.”
“It’s a week by week and case by case situation. What the round holds for either team as far as importance is usually how we look at it.”
“It’s been that way for the last couple of seasons.”
Perry had a win-win last weekend, helping NSW to an 82-run win against Western Fury while Canberra United were dismantling Adelaide 4-1.
Most experts have Sydney-Brisbane fighting it out again for the Westfield W-League crown but Perry warns against writing her side off.
“Every strong is club. There are some really talented players at all clubs,” she pointed out.
“We’ve done a good job in recruiting in the off-season and picked up a few international players and the core is there from previous years. I think it’s a really solid group.”
“If you can keep the bulk of your players together for a while you are bound to improve and get better and hopefully that’s the case.”
