'She doesn't get bored': Perry problem has England rattled

England have pledged to be relentless in their pursuit of the most important – and most elusive – Australian wicket in this week's one-off Ashes Test in Canberra.

After being dropped from Australia's T20I side last week Ellyse Perry was back in her natural habitat on Tuesday, wearing white pads and getting her eye in against the red ball during a training session a Manuka Oval.

Perry has been dismissed just once in her past 1,016 balls in Test cricket, a period of dominance that started with her unbeaten 213 in the 2017-18 Ashes Test and was followed by scores of 116 and 76no last time Australia met England in a four-day game in Taunton, and 68no and 1no against India earlier this summer.

Katherine Brunt has bowled more than her fair share of those deliveries to Perry and was typically forthright in her assessment of Perry's prowess at the longest format.

"Well, her biggest thing and our biggest problem is that she doesn't get bored," Brunt said.

"Which is unreal really because everyone gets bored. But she just doesn't get bored blocking every ball.

"She slowly melts down a bowler because she'll just block, block, block, wait until you're tired and then let's say you bowl one semi-bad ball in 10 overs...she's literally just concerned about that ball – and that's it.

"I think (we need to be) relentless, not giving her anything, creating as many opportunities as possible, I think we'll mix it up this Test match plan-wise."

Perry has trained herself to attain that level of focus in a format rarely played by Australia's women.

During the 2019 and 2021 preseasons, the 31-year-old would spend entire days facing throwdowns in the nets at Cricket Victoria in order to mimic an entire day's play.

"She's fantastic in this format," Ashleigh Gardner said of Perry on Tuesday.

"I think she is built for this type of format.

"You just look at the game that she plays and it's just so patient ... she takes those real calculated risks when it's necessary and I think that's why she's been so dominant in this format.

"Also with the ball, being able to swing the ball at the top and hit those really good areas is really important for us with a pretty inexperienced bowling attack – I'm just really looking forward to what she can do."

Perry appears set to maintain her position at No.4 in this year's Ashes Test starting Thursday, sharing a net with her skipper and No.3 Meg Lanning at Tuesday's training session.

Rachael Haynes batted with opener Alyssa Healy– a sign the vice-captain is set to resume her role at the top of the order. That spot was occupied by Beth Mooney earlier this summer when Haynes was ruled out through injury.

Meanwhile Mooney, just one week after surgery on a broken jaw, batted with fellow middle-order batter Tahlia McGrath.

She faced throwdowns for an extended period – including from coach Matthew Mott, whose rogue delivery managed to get under her grille and cause the injury – before facing Perry, fellow pace bowlers Nicola Carey and Hannah Darlington, and the spin of Alana King and Jess Jonassen.

Australia will make at least three changes to their most recent Test XI that took on India in September, with spinners Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham to miss through injury, and Jonassen, Megan Schutt and Haynes all back in the fold after missing that match on the Gold Coast.

New squad addition Stella Campbell bowled alongside express quick Darcie Brown and appears a strong chance to be included in a pace attack also featuring Schutt, Perry and McGrath.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland

England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Australia lead the multi-format series 4-2

Jan 20: Australia won by nine wickets

Jan 22: No Result

Jan 23: Match Abandoned without a ball bowled

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval, 10am AEDT, 

Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval (D/N), 2.10pm AEDT

Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT