Positive signs as Ellyse Perry batted in the nets during Australia’s first pre-final training session following “wellness day”
All eyes were on Ellyse Perry as Australia’s T20 World Cup squad returned to Lord’s on Friday, with the allrounder desperate to prove her fitness for Sunday’s final against England.
Perry, who retired hurt after facing seven deliveries against the West Indies reporting quad ‘awareness’, was put through her paces during Australia’s first pre-final training session.
The allrounder did not join in fielding practice but looked solid during a running session, before spending time batting in the nets.
Perry is expected to train again on Saturday, with a call to then be made on her readiness to take on England 24 hours later.
Speaking to media at Lord’s on Friday, Phoebe Litchfield revealed that while the majority of her teammates soaked up the sun at Wimbledon on Thursday, Perry’s focus had been entirely on rehabilitation – although that approach is not out of the ordinary for a player considered to be the consummate professional when it comes to conditioning.
“She’s great, she’s prepping really well and she’s the ultimate professional,” Litchfield said of Perry.
“She had a total wellness day yesterday, apparently, just getting everything right.
“As you can imagine, she wants to be out there on Sunday and is doing everything in her ability to do that, which is the true professional that she is.
“Just sauna, getting the body right – body’s a temple for Pez, so it’s nice to see her back around the group today and moving really well.”
Perry’s decision to retire hurt in the semi-final was understood to be largely precautionary, given Australia’s dominant position in the match, but coach Shelley Nitschke admitted on Thursday she was unsure on the extent of the injury.
Nitschke also indicated Australia would be willing to play Perry even if the 35-year-old was not fully fit, given her form and importance to the XI.
“We’re confident, but just not completely 100 per cent sure of how that’s gone at the moment,” Nitschke said on Thursday.
“I think there’s still certain things that she’ll want to be able to do as well, to be able to still contribute to the team and hold her own, whether that’s in the field or running between the wickets,” Nitschke said.
“But there is that element of ‘this is a World Cup final’, so what’s our tolerance there.
“So certainly (there’s) a slightly different lens than perhaps some other times.”
Perry is one of four nominees for the ICC’s player of the tournament having produced her strongest ever T20 World Cup with the bat while also taking four wickets.
Her 185 runs at 46.25, with a strike rate of 135.03, included her 38-ball 56 against India that knocked Harmanpreet Kaur’s team out of the tournament.
This is not the first time there has been a spotlight on Perry’s availability ahead of a major final.
She was ruled out of the semi and final of the home 2020 T20 World Cup with a serious hamstring injury – the only two matches she has ever missed at the tournament.
In New Zealand in 2022, Perry missed the semi-final with a back complaint but returned to play in Australia’s win over England in the final as a specialist batter.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: beat South Africa by 65 runs
June 17: beat Bangladesh by nine wickets
June 20: beat Netherlands by 98 runs
June 24: beat Pakistan by 113 runs
June 28: beat India by six wickets
Semi-final 1: Australia beat West Indies by eight wickets
Semi-final 2: England v South Africa, The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5 (12:30am July 6 AEST)
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
