Did You Know | This Australian cricketer also played FIFA World Cup ?

Ellyse Perry, Image Credit : Twitter

If somebody ask you about the sportsperson who played both FIFA and ICC World Cup for their country then you probably will give a SURPRISE look. But the fact is YES, there are Cricketers who played for the apex championship and represents their flag. The more interesting fact is, out of 2 such players one is female. Intrigued ??. Time to burst the secret…………

Ellyse Perry

Ellyse Perry, Image Credit : Twitter

Ellyse Perry, 32 year old all rounder Australian cricketer played her first cricket match in July 2007, she was only 16 year old when she debut in International cricket and became youngest ever cricketer to represent Australia. He took 2 wickets and made 20 runs in her first match. That was moment when she was identified as potent player for all 3 formats.

The fact that make her more intriguing personality is, She also represented her nation in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. She primarily was a “Defender” and scored overall 3 goals in her international career. Perry was in the starting line-up for the quarter-final against Sweden and scored Australia’s only goal in the 3–1 loss.

Interesting Facts about Ellyse Perry

• At the age of 16 Years and 9 months, Ellyse Perry made her debut in International Football career right after month of her Cricket International debut.

• She was awarded “Cricketer of the Decade 2011-2020” for both ODI and T20I by ICC.

• She won prestigious Racheol Heyhoe Flint Award thrice 2017, 2019, 2020.

• She was awarded with “Wisden Leading Women Cricketer in the World” twice 2016 and 2019.

As per some sources, Ellyse Perry football club Canberra United FC was unhappy with her twin sports career and gave her ultimatum to choose between Cricket and Football. However she wasn’t ready to pick one and in Nov 2012 she joined Sydney FC. The club’s coach Alen Stajcic was ready to accommodate her twin international sports career. On some instances it was a bottle neck situation for her to choose one. Such as in Jan 2013, when Sydney FC’s Women-League semi-final was scheduled for the same day as NSW (New South Wales T20 cup final. A few days later, some media sources revealed Perry’s decision would be to play in the football semi-final. But the following week she declined to play for Sydney FC in the W-League grand final, opting instead to play in the warm-up match for the Cricket World Cup.

Vivan Richards

Viv Richards, Image Credit : Twitter

Yes, the greatest batsman of his time and often self contained away from pitch is widely regarded in the cricket fraternity but the little known fact is that the besides cricket World Cup (1975 and 1979). He did his debut in a test match against Indian in November 1974 , Bangalore. But before that he also played in 1974 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches for Antigua.

Although there is no known concrete reason of him choosing Cricket over Football, it is assumed that he started with huge success in Cricket. He made an unbeaten 192* in his second test against Indian in New Delhi. Selectors saw him as a potential opener for next 10 years. In year 1975 he was the key player to make West Indies win the Cricket World Cup.

Interesting Facts about Sir Viv Richards

• He is the only West-Indies captain who never lost a Test-Series. He captained 50 test matches.

• In 1976, He scored 1710 runs with an average of 90.00 and hit 7 tons in 11 Test Matches.

• He is the first cricketer to score a Century and took five wickets in a One-Day International Match.

• In 1983 and 1984 he refused a “BLANK CHEQUE” offer to play for “Rebel West-Indies squad” in South Africa in Apartheid era.

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