Perry under injury cloud after WBBL defeat

The Sydney Sixers and Australian camps will be crossing their fingers after superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry suffered an apparent shoulder injury during Sunday’s Rebel WBBL match against the Melbourne Renegades.

Perry landed heavily on her right shoulder in a desperate attempt to cut off a lofted drive from batter Courtney Webb during the 12th over of the Renegades’ chase at Drummoyne Oval.

Her effort was in vain as Webb’s shot went for six, but it was immediately clear there may have been damage to more than just the scoreboard as Perry clutched her right shoulder.

She remained on the field for the rest of the match, shrugging off the attentions of the Sixers’ physio, but did not bowl and was in obvious pain, moving awkwardly and avoiding fielding with her right arm.

To rub salt into the wound, Webb smashed a second six from the final ball of the match to steal a stunning two-wicket win for the Melbourne side.

"It looks like she (Perry) has a little bit of an AC injury," Sixers allrounder Erin Burns said after play.

"But if anyone can come back from that kind of stuff it's Ellyse.

"She kind of soldiered on pretty well there even though she was running one arm down."

A Sixers spokesperson said Perry would be assessed by the team doctor and physio after the match, and again on Monday morning before deciding if scans were necessary.

In a positive sign, Perry hung around after the match ended to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans.

Perry has been in sublime form with the bat throughout WBBL|05, sitting second on the league runs tally with 469 at 93.80, including four half-centuries.

Earlier on Sunday, she struck a 45-ball 37 to help the Sixers to 4-139.

The Sixers have five regular season matches remaining in WBBL|05, the next of which is on Wednesday at North Sydney Oval against the Hobart Hurricanes.

The WBBL finals are set to be played from December 6-8, with the semi-finals and the final to be hosts by the team finishing on top of the table.

Australia’s next engagement is not until the start of February, when they meet England and India in a T20I tri-series ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The injury cloud hanging over Perry is the second blow to the Sixers in the space of 24 hours, after South Africa import Dane van Niekerk was ruled out of Sunday’s game after a freak mishap on Saturday night.

Van Niekerk was preparing dinner with her Sixers teammate and wife Marizanne Kapp when she cut her left hand while slicing an avocado.

The allrounder attended the emergency department for treatment and saw a specialist on Sunday to assess the injury.

Kapp shared a photo of van Niekerk on social media on Sunday night, declaring, "Uber eats it is from now on".

Sixers general manager Jodie Hawkins confirmed the injury during Channel 7’s broadcast, saying she was hopeful van Niekerk would return for Wednesday’s game.