Perry optimistic about bowling return for the start of summer

Ellyse Perry is targeting a return to bowling crease come the start of the Australian summer after resuming low-intensity workloads at training.

Perry hasn't bowled in a match since sustaining a back stress fracture midway through the ODI World Cup in March, returning for the final as a batter only as Australia beat England by 71 runs.

But the superstar allrounder hasn't played for the national side since, unable to force her way back into Australia's T20 XI for the Commonwealth Games or tri-series in Ireland.

The 31-year-old maintains she doesn't have a point to prove despite an immediate impact in her return to the field in England's 100-ball competition over the weekend, scoring 58 (31) and 39no (28) as her Birmingham Phoenix won their opening two games of the season.

"I absolutely love every opportunity and chance to be involved in different competitions, but I play more so for the enjoyment of it," Perry said from Birmingham.

"For me, a lot of playing cricket stems back to just having a hit with dad in the nets and always talking to him about the sport and I guess those kinds of things probably mean a lot more to me than anything else.

"It's been a great challenge for sure in the last little bit and I've really loved the chance to keep trying to work and develop my game, but I don't really want to prove a point or anything like that, just the opportunity to be part of things has been great.

"I'd love to still be involved in particularly the Australian team, it's still very much the pinnacle for our sport playing international cricket.

"The Commonwealth Games was a huge example of just how strong the sport is, and I'd still love to be challenged by it if there's an opportunity there."

Perry, who was today announced as the Sydney Sixers' captain for an eighth consecutive season, said scans over the last 20 weeks had showed her rehabilitation was progressing well.

"Each time it's showing that it's improved and I'm tracking in the right direction," she said.

"I have started bowling just at training off a few steps with the plan being to progress that intensity over the coming weeks and hopefully be pretty much ready to go and available to bowl once our summer starts back home."

Perry's state team, Victoria, kick off their Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) season against South Australia in Adelaide in just over a month, while the Sixers will launch the Weber WBBL|08 tournament against the Brisbane Heat in Mackay on October 13.

After making the decider in the first four editions of the WBBL, with Perry leading the club to titles in WBBL|02 and WBBL|03, the Sixers finished bottom of the table in 2021-22 and missed the finals the previous two seasons.

"Charlotte's (Edwards, Sixers new head coach) focus is very much on turning things around," Perry said.

"The last couple of years have been a bit disappointing for us as a group and her energy and what she brings, and the way that she'll probably challenge a lot of us will be awesome.

"The opportunity to play again at Sydney, which is still in a lot of respects home, is really exciting.

"The chance to spend a bit more time with mum and dad and the rest of my family during the WBBL, I don't think I really considered anywhere else, and I don't think Victoria really pushed me to think about it either."

Sydney Sixers WBBL|08 squad (so far): Jade Allen, Nicole Bolton, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry (c)

Tickets for Weber WBBL and KFC BBL games are on sale to existing members of the Australian Cricket Family now, and will be released to the general public on Thursday, August 18. Get yours at cricket.com.au/big-bash