Perry on track for Victorian debut, World Cup

Ellyse Perry has confirmed she is on track to return from injury early next month, well before the start of Australia’s T20 World Cup defence next February and March.

The star allrounder’s comeback from a low-grade AC joint injury is likely to double as her debut for new state Victoria, who will meet Western Australia at Junction Oval on January 7 when the next round of the 50-over Women’s National Cricket League gets underway.

Perry, who was on Tuesday's crowned ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year, missed the final five matches of the Sydney Sixers’ Rebel WBBL season after landing awkwardly on her dominant right shoulder in a desperate attempt to cut off a six at Drummoyne Oval on November 17.

There had been hopes she would be fit in time for finals had her team advanced, but the two-time champions’ season was cut short when they missed the top four for the first time in the competition’s five-year history.

"It’s going pretty well," Perry said of her shoulder on SEN radio on Thursday.

"It should hopefully be fully fit by the time we have our next lot of games early in the new year with 50-over domestic cricket.

"(It was) good and bad timing … bad timing coming right at end of the WBBL but it’s good that I’ve had a couple of weeks to get it totally right."

In an exclusive behind-the-scenes video on her Facebook account, posted last week, Perry revealed just how close she had come to making a return for the Sixers’ final two regular season matches – a pair must-win encounters against Adelaide Strikers at Hurstville Oval on November 30 and December 1.

While she would not have bowled, Perry went through her paces in the nets with coach Ben Sawyer ahead of the match before the tough call was made to leave her on the sidelines, instead sticking with replacement international Hollie Armitage.

"I was keen to do everything I could to be available for the games," Perry said on Insight.

"I think it was always going to be touch and go… but it was certainly worth having a go.

"Even though I was probably fit enough to be able to play, ultimately it became a decision about whether or not what I could put out on the park would be as good or better than our international replacement."

The Sixers’ absence from finals left Perry with another five weeks to recover before a potential debut in the navy blue, while the Australian women will not be in action again until their T20I tri-series against England and India begins in late January.

That tri-series will be an opportunity for the Australian squad to refine their plans for the T20 World Cup, with that campaign to begin against India at Sydney Showgrounds on February 21.

"I think there’s some really good preparation in place (for us) and hopefully it’s a successful campaign for us because it’s a huge tournament," Perry said.