Ellyse Perry named Wisden's leading woman cricketer

Ellyse Perry was named Wisden's leading woman cricketer in the world on Wednesday (April 8), the second time after the year 2016. She is also included in the list of Wisden's five cricketers of the year - the Almanack's oldest and most prestigious honour, which represents a tradition dating back to 1889. She also became the first overseas woman player to win the award and seventh overall.

"It is rare that a player achieves the double of Leading Cricketer in the World and one of the Five Cricketers of the Year in the same Almanack," wrote Raf Nicholson about her in the Wisden Almanack. "But it is fitting that Ellyse Perry – one of the great all-rounders – becomes the first woman." She was picked as one of the cricketers of the decade in the past as well.

Perry thus capped off a memorable year, in which she bagged ICC Women's 'Cricketer of the Year' and 'ODI Cricketer of the Year' awards as well. The star allrounder also won the Belinda Clark Award for the third time in the Cricket Australia Awards.

"Ellyse Perry dominated the women's Ashes like no one before her," Lawrence Booth, Wisden's editor said, "inspiring Australia to a crushing victory. She was devastating with the ball, claiming seven for 22 in the ODI at Canterbury, and remorseless with the bat, not least during the one-off Test at Taunton, where she made 116 and 76 not out."