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Late call on Perry for T20 crunch match

3 minute read

Australian superstar Ellyse Perry remains in doubt for Monday's sudden-death Twenty20 World Cup game against New Zealand with a hip injury.

ELLYSE PERRY.
ELLYSE PERRY. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Australia's best player could miss the most important women's cricket match ever held in this country, with an injury cloud hanging over superstar Ellyse Perry.

The allrounder did a light indoor batting session on Sunday, away from her teammates, but she remains in serious doubt for Monday's sudden-death Twenty20 World Cup game against New Zealand.

Already troubled by a shoulder issue, Perry suffered a hip injury during Thursday's thumping win against Bangladesh.

A call on the 29-year-old will be left as late as possible for the crunch match at Melbourne's Junction Oval, with the winner into the semi-finals.

"I'm confident (of Perry playing)," Australian captain Meg Lanning told reporters on Sunday.

"Given the player she is, she's shown in the past that she's extremely resilient and able to play through things.

"We'll give her every chance to play but we won't go making a call on that until (Monday) when she's able to do something."

Following Tayla Vlaeminck's foot injury before the tournament, Australia would be down their two fastest bowlers if Perry doesn't play.

Australia could bring in quick Delissa Kimmince or spinner Molly Strano, who played in the first two World Cup games.

Young allrounder Sophie Molineux is rated as a "wait-and-see" option as she still battles a corked thigh suffered almost three weeks ago.

"It would change the dynamic of the team, obviously, when you lose a world-class player like (Perry)," Lanning said.

"But I said at the start of the tournament that we had 15 players who I felt could play a role at any point and that hasn't changed."

Overwhelming favourites pre-tournament to defend their 2018 crown, Australia have been in do-or-die mode since dropping their opening group game to India.

Pressure has long been on Lanning's side to make the final, with organisers ambitiously planning to pack more than 90,000 people into the MCG for the March 8 decider.

More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold, but the world record for the highest crowd at a women's sporting event won't be broken without Australia's involvement.

Lanning said the team was excited by the big occasion and welcomed the pressure of having to book a final-four berth, which would be against England or South Africa.

"There's no escaping that it's a big game. There will be a few nerves about us, there will be with the New Zealand team," Lanning said.

"There's a lot of coverage and interest and people wanting us to do well and that's what we've always asked for.

"We're pretty glad we're a part of it, we want to play in big games ... we really want to embrace that."

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