Perry out to prove T20 point as Comm Games, World Cup near

Ellyse Perry is up for the challenge of proving she still belongs in Australia's best T20 team ahead of a packed schedule of the shortest format.

A veteran of 126 T20Is, Perry has had battles with injuries and form in recent years, and while still in Australia's best 50-over XI, she was dropped from the Ashes opener in January in favour of a batter with a higher strike rate.

A lengthy recovery from a previous serious hamstring injury and more recently a back stress fracture have hindered the 31-year-old.

And Australia's coming schedule is packed with T20 cricket.

They will play a T20 tri-series against Ireland and Pakistan in Derry in July, before their Commonwealth Games campaign in Birmingham in July-August.

Australia then tour India for five T20Is in December, before three home T20 matches against Pakistan in January ahead of the format's World Cup in South Africa in February.

"The depth coming through in the women's side of the game is tremendous and that's a wonderful thing for the whole squad, the whole group," Perry told reporters at the launch of Australia's summer schedule.

"It presents challenges for everyone to make sure that they're continuing to evolve as a player. That's very much the case for me. 

"But I'd love to still be a part of that. (I'm) certainly working to make sure that I'm in that position.

"Looking at our schedule coming up, with another T20 World Cup next year in South Africa, you always want to be involved in the big tournaments, so I think we're all looking at that."

Perry may well have to prove herself without one of her weapons: her bowling.

The allrounder is in the Australian team as a batter only at this stage after the lower back injury that restricted her earlier this year at the ODI World Cup was diagnosed as a stress fracture.

She said the biggest unknown with her injury at the moment was at which point over the summer she would get back to full fitness and bowling.

"It's going well," she said of her back. "It's sort of just a progressive one where I'll keep getting it scanned in the lead-up to playing again, but so far it's been going really smoothly and touch wood that continues."

Perry said selection pressure was important for an all-conquering Australian team to keep their ruthless edge.

"We want to keep pushing the boat out and then not get caught," she said.

"Because it's certainly nice having success and I think once you've tasted it you don't want to go the other way."

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

July 16: Australia v Pakistan

July 17: Australia v Ireland

July 19: Ireland v Pakistan

July 21: Australia v Ireland

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 3pm local time (midnight AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium