Perry hopes knee won't hurt cricket summer

Oct 27, 2016 - 8:08 AM Star cricketer Ellyse Perry hopes a niggling knee injury won't ruin her summer, after missing NSW's opening three one-day matches.

Perry has 30 elite fixtures scheduled between now and the end of March, and was forced to rest her knee in the Breakers' WNCL matches against South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland a fortnight ago in Brisbane.

"They took into account how much cricket we've got this summer," she told AAP.

"I want to be involved with as much of it as I can so they had to make the decision to rest me."

Along with Perry's 14-game regular-season commitment to the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL, the Southern Stars have home one-dayers against South Africa and Twenty20s against New Zealand before a return bout in both forms of the game across the Tasman.

It all comes ahead of a vital year for the national team, who will aim to defend their 50-over World Cup crown next June and July in England.

And while Perry believes her body is fit enough, she concedes workload management might become part of the women's game.

"It's probably a consideration that the physios and doctors and coach are going to have to take into account with all the players now," she said.

"It's not something I want to consider but, touch wood, I'll be fit for the rest of the summer."

She'll play her first game of the new season against Western Australia on Saturday at Blacktown in Sydney, an almost must-win fixture for the Breakers who have claimed 10 of the past 11 titles.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old insisted her career in soccer was not over, despite the ever-growing cricket calendar.

She is yet to re-sign with Sydney FC for the upcoming W-League season, however the club is understood to be confident that could happen before the season-openers early next month.

"We're just playing it by ear - I haven't counted myself out of anything," she said.

Perry has not played for the Matildas since 2014 and, earlier this year, missed the W-League final to play in a cricket international.

She also indicated she would have a clearer picture of her soccer summer after returning this weekend from the knee complaint.

Source: AAP