Australia's Ellyse Perry named Wisden's leading women cricketer in world

Perry has also been named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, which is Wisden Cricketers Almanack's oldest and most prestigious honour dating back to 1889.

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Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry has been rewarded for her terrific 2019 season by being named as Wisden's leading women cricketer in the world--the honour which she last received in 2016.

Besides being awarded as the best women contemporary player in the world, the 29-year-old has also been named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, which is Wisden Cricketers Almanack's oldest and most prestigious honour dating back to 1889.

As a result, Perry became the seventh women's cricketer to pick up the Almanack's oldest honour and first women player from oversees.

Reflecting on the same, Wisden's editor Lawrence Booth said that Perry dominated the 2019 women's Ashes series like no one before and guided Australia to a crushing win.

"Ellyse Perry dominated the women's Ashes like no one before her,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," ESPNcricinfo quoted Booth as saying.

Perry finished as the highest run-getter in the 2019 Ashes series, with a total of 378 runs in seven matches she played across three formats for Australia. The all-rounder also finished with 15 wickets as Australia successfully retained their Women’s Ashes title against England last year.

In March, Perry undergone a hamstring surgery and was sidelined for at least six months. She sustained the injury to her right hamstring while fielding during Australia's final group game of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's T20 World Cup against New Zealand last month.

Meanwhile, former Indian batsman Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former New Zealand cricketer Mark Greatbatch, former Sri Lankan player Sanath Jayasuriya and West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine have been named as Wisden's best pitch hitters.

On the other hand, England great Ian Botham, former Warwickshire off-spinner Neil Smith and England batsman Jason Roy have been named in the list of Wisden's worst pitch hitters in the world.