Ellyse Perry will line up for Birmingham Phoenix again this summer, the club confirming her retention for what will be a fifth straight season in the Women’s Hundred.
The Australian all-rounder, 35, has scored 545 runs at a strike-rate a touch over 127 since joining in 2022 and still chips in with the ball whenever required. “I’m delighted to be returning to Birmingham Phoenix for the 2026 season,” Perry said. “The Hundred has been such a wonderful addition to the cricket landscape, and provided so many wonderful opportunities for the further development of the women’s game. The Phoenix has one of the most passionate fanbases in the competition, and it has been a true privilege to experience the home support at Edgbaston.”
Head coach Ali Maiden put the decision in simple terms. “Ellyse is a once-in-a-generation talent whose impact extends far beyond the numbers on the scorecard. She embodies professionalism, skill and competitive spirit, and we’re incredibly proud she’ll be part of our Phoenix Women squad again in 2026.” He added: “Her presence elevates everyone around her, and we know she’ll be pivotal to our campaign. We are aiming to recruit an exciting, athletic and energetic squad, so having somebody like Ellyse who embodies those characteristics is priceless for the long-term success of the Birmingham Phoenix.”
Key facts first, then the context. Phoenix have finished second-bottom in each of the past two editions, sliding from a semi-final appearance in the inaugural 2021 tournament. Retaining Perry is, therefore, less a luxury than a necessity as the franchise attempts to rebuild around proven experience before the first privately-funded Hundred season kicks off on 21 July.
Beyond the Midlands, Perry’s decision is notable because she withdrew from this year’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) alongside fellow Australian Annabel Sutherland, both citing personal reasons. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had retained Perry for INR 2 crore (about £165,000), a hefty investment given she is the second-highest run-scorer in WPL history and central to RCB’s 2024 title. Opting out of a financially lucrative T20 league raised eyebrows, but the move now looks partly motivated by a desire to manage workload with another busy international window and a home World Cup next February.
Her CV remains eye-watering: 347 caps for Australia across formats, fourth-highest run-getter in the recent WBBL where she smashed a 71-ball 111 for Sydney Sixers, and—at the time of writing—guesting for Wellington in New Zealand’s Super Smash. In conversation with coaching staff last week, Phoenix sources stressed how those numbers “won’t mean much unless we start climbing the table,” a quieter reminder that star power alone rarely guarantees silverware.
Administratively, every Hundred side must finalise retentions by 16 January ahead of a March auction. Private investment means more money, but it also sharpens decision-making; mistakes can be expensive. Phoenix still have overseas and domestic slots open, with pace bowling and late-order hitting thought to be priorities.
The broader calendar is dense. England host a Women’s T20 World Cup from 12 June to 5 July, then the first women’s Test at Lord’s (10-13 July) before the Hundred’s window. Squads will juggle workloads, visas and the usual niggles. For Phoenix, one big box is already ticked. They have their leader, their marquee player and—if form holds—an engine room around which to build.
Whether that translates into wins at Edgbaston come late July is another question, but at least the conversation starts in the right place.
