One of Australia's finest cricketers, Ellyse Perry, celebrates her 29th birthday on November 03, 2019 (Sunday). The Australian women's cricket team all-rounder has already shaped her own sporting legacy in a way only she could. Perry made her international cricket and football debut at the age of 16 in 2007 – the youngest and only Australian athlete to do so – and represented her country in both the sports until 2012. As an all-rounder, she rocked the cricketing world, while as a defender she was representing Australia at the Asian Cup and Olympics and then at the biggest stage of them all – 2011 Women's World Cup.

Born in a small suburb of Wahroonga in Sydney, Perry played cricket as a child. But cricketer wasn't the only thing little Perry wanted to become growing up. At the Pymble Ladies' College – where Perry completed her year 12 in 2008 – she captained the cricket team but also played soccer, tennis, athletics, touch football and golf. She eventually turned to cricket after Heather Reid, the chief executive of Canberra United FC – a football club Perry played for – reportedly gave her the ultimatum to choose between cricket and football. She had been given ultimatum before and she had changed club before, but this time Perry decided to pursue cricket. Take a look at some unknown things about star Australian cricketer.

  1. Ellyse Perry was born on November 3, 1990, in a small suburb of Sydney, Australia.

  2. Perry is the youngest Australian male / female cricketer ever to play international cricket. She made her debut in a WODI against New Zealand in 2007.

  3. Ellyse Perry is also the only sportsperson to play international cricket and football at the age of 16.

  4. She is also the first and only Australian sportsperson to represent Australia in both cricket and football world cups. Perry also represented Australian football team at the 2008 Olympics.

  5. Perry is also the first Australian cricketer, both male and female, to appear in 100 twenty20 internationals, score 1000 t20i runs and take 100 t20i wickets.

  6. In 2010, Perry ventured into media and appeared as a host in a football-related show “football stars of tomorrow” which was aired on one HD digital sports channel.

  7. Ellyse Perry is married to Australia union rugby player Matt Toomua since December 19, 2016.

  8. Perry turned author in 2016 and wrote four books along with Sherryl cark. The series of books follow Perry’s sporting career and her transitioning from primary school to high school.

Perry has so far represented Australia in 229 international matches (8 Tests, 110 WODIs and 111 WT20Is) and has scored over 4000 runs. Her Test highest score of 213 not-out is the highest ever Test score by an Australian women's cricketer and the third-highest individual Test score of all-time. Perry won the 2013 ICC WODI (Women's One-Day International) World Cup with Australia in 2013 and has also lifted the ICC Women's World Twenty20 four times, including three on the trot.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2019 08:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).