Perry prepared for World Cup tilt

After a frustrating summer punctuated by a series of injuries, Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry is fit and ready to take on the world in this month’s Women’s World Cup.

Perry missed the latter part of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League followed by Australia’s Twenty20 series against New Zealand due to a hamstring injury, only to injure her elbow upon her return. Earlier in the summer, she sat out one match of the Southern Stars’ ODIs against South Africa due to a groin concern.

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But with five weeks of training in Queensland with Australia’s World Cup squad now under her belt, the 26-year-old is fully focused her third World Cup campaign, where she hopes to secure a second winners medal after claiming 3-19 in the 2013 final to help the Southern Stars to victory over West Indies.

"I had a lovely break and came back really refreshed, the body feels great as well, which is nice,” Perry told cricket.com.au.

"It’s been nice to have this time up here (in Queensland) uninterrupted to do a bit of training."

Before her hamstring injury, Perry was enjoying a golden run with the bat, having scored five ODI half-centuries on the trot.

But despite averaging more than 90 since being elevated into Australia’s top five during the 2013 Ashes, Perry is insistent she has room to improve – noting after last November's series against the Proteas that she was targeting a higher strike rate.

It was something she worked on – albeit in a different position at the top of the order – during WBBL|02, notably in a match against the Adelaide Strikers when, with the Sixers needing 14 runs off the final three overs, she struck four consecutive boundaries to abruptly finish proceedings.

Her lengthy lay off was an unwanted interruption, but it remains a work in progress that Perry hopes to build on in the United Kingdom, as she seeks the perfect balance between her remarkable consistency and the ability to accelerate an innings when required.

"I was playing a slightly different role in the Big Bash opening, but it’s a good challenge for me working on finding a good blend between the two,” Perry said.

"I haven’t played a lot of cricket in the last little bit, but hopefully when I get to England and have some practice matches I’ll have a gauge of how it’s going.

"Being aware of it helps as well and it’s something I’d like to improve.

"There’s a few things I can introduce, in terms of the shots I play, the selection of shots to balls and where I hit it, and at the same time just being conscious of it as well and learning exactly where and when is the right time to put the foot down and up the scoring rate if I need to."

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Perry is also hoping to have a major impact with the ball during Australia’s World Cup campaign, which will see them take on the other seven nations during a hectic pool stage that will see the Southern Stars play seven matches in 20 days.

Australia’s wealth of in-form spinners meant they took an unconventional approach to their attack during the home summer, at times playing just one seamer, but with head coach Matthew Mott signaling a return to a more typical line-up in English conditions, Perry’s pace bowling will be key to the Southern Stars’ hopes.

"The spinners have led way for the last little bit (but) I think for any side to be successful and to do well in a major competition, you need to have a well-balanced bowling unit with pace and spin.

"It’s really important that the pace bowlers step up and bowl well over in England."

Australia’s 15-player World Cup squad depart for England on Saturday, where they’ll spend time acclimatising in Southampton ahead of their tournament opener against West Indies on June 26.

Women's World Cup 2017 Guide

Australia World Cup squad: Sarah Aley, Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell (vc), Nicole Bolton, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning (c), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Squads: Every World Cup squad named so far

Australia's World Cup schedule

View the full tournament schedule here

Warm-up matches

June 20: Australia v South Africa, Oakham

June 22: Australia v Pakistan, Leicester

Tournament

June 26: Australia v West Indies, Taunton

June 29: Sri Lanka v Australia, Bristol

July 2: Australia v New Zealand, Bristol

July 5: Pakistan v Australia, Leicester

July 9: England vAustralia, Bristol

July 12: Australia v India, Bristol

July 15: South Africa v Australia, Taunton

July 18: First semi-final, Bristol

July 20: Second semi-final, Derby

July 23: Final, Lord's