Ellyse Perry stuns cricket world with never-before-seen feat in Women's Premier League

Ellyse Perry is the toast of the cricket world after claiming the best-ever figures in the history of the Women's Premier League. The Aussie all-rounder took 6-14 in a stunning four-over spell on Wednesday morning (Aussie time), before making 40 not out with the bat as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets.

The 33-year-old Perry, who hadn't taken a single wicket all tournament until Wednesday, showed her enduring class with both bat and ball, becoming the first player in the tournament's short history to take a six-wicket haul. She hit the stumps for four of her six dismissals, and claimed the other two lbw.

Her all-round performance helped RCB book their place in the finals alongside the Indians and Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals. The win for RCB means Alyssa Healy's UP Warriorz and Beth Mooney's Gujarat Giants have both been eliminated from finals contention.

"I really enjoy bowling," Perry said after her stunning display. "Sometimes I think go about three years of just getting walloped around the ground then every now and again it goes my way.

"I've been working on it a bit, especially with my coaches back home. It was suitable conditions for me, the ball nipped around a little bit. I managed to find a good length most of the time and it did a little bit off the wicket. It was good fun."

Ellyse Perry lights up cricket world with historic display

Mumbai started strongly while batting first and moved to 0-43 with one ball left in the powerplay. But that's when Perry made her mark on the game, taking a sharp catch in the outfield to dismiss Hayley Matthews for 26 off Sophie Devine's bowling.

Perry then bowled the next over, conceding only one run and a leg-bye, but also bringing one ball back into Nat Sciver-Brunt's pads. The English batter survived a DRS review from RCB, but Perry's seam movement was ominous and proved a sign of things to come.

In the next over Perry jagged one back to bowl Sajeevan Sajana for 30, then had Indians skipper Harmapreet Kaur inside-edging onto her stumps on the very first ball she faced. Perry took her next two wickets in three balls in the next over, dismissing Amelia Kerr for two and Amanjot Kaur for four.

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Bowling all four of her overs consecutively, Perry then bowled Pooja Vastrakar for six and got Sciver-Brunt for 10 on her final ball thanks to an lbw review. After being 1-61, the Indians were left reeling at 7-82 on the back of Perry's historic spell.

They were eventually bowled out for 113 with an over to spare, with fellow Aussie Sophie Molineux (1-26) taking the final wicket. Molineux was back in the middle opening the batting for RCB soon after, but only lasted nine balls before being stumped for nine off Matthews.

The dismissal brought Perry out to the crease, who inflicted more pain on the Indians. RCB slipped to 3-39, but Perry (40 off 38) and Richa Ghosh (36 off 28) steadied the innings, putting on an unbeaten stand of 76 to get RCB across the line with five overs to spare.

Perry brought up the winning runs with a lofted drive for four, and finished with five boundaries and a six in her innings. It means RCB and the Indians will most likely meet again on Friday in the finals, barring an improbable Giants thrashing of the Capitals on Thursday.

with AAP

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