Ellyse Perry has conjured up another inspired display to steer Royal Challengers Bangalore into the Women's Premier League final and a showdown with her fellow Australian great Meg Lanning.
Summoning up her very best form for the final week of the Indian tournament, Perry followed up her record six-wicket haul and 40no against champions Mumbai on Tuesday with a matchwinning 66 and 1-29 in a nail-biting five-run win over the same opponents in Friday's eliminator.
"What do I say about her? I think she's a legend," said RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, after Perry's second player-of-the-match display in four days ensured her team will meet Lanning's Delhi Capitals in Sunday's final.
Table-topping Delhi may start as favourites in front of their own fans in the Arun Jaitley Stadium, but the form that Perry has rediscovered this week bodes well for the team coached by Australian Luke Williams.
"I guess you've just got to take the opportunities when they come your way. It's been nice for me the last couple of matches, it's just fallen my way at different points," said the modest 33-year-old Perry.
After RCB opted to bat, it was only Perry's excellence after they'd slumped to 4-49 that ensured they reached a defendable total of 6-135 as she cracked eight fours and a six in her 50-ball knock.
"The way Ellyse kept her nerve with three wickets down, and even when she was out on the field later, saying 'guys, I still feel we can still win it' ... well, we saw what happened," smiled Mandhana.
Perry got some belated help from fellow Aussie Georgia Wareham, who smacked an unbeaten 18 off 10 balls at the end of the innings, including a huge six off the last ball which, ultimately, proved to be decisive in a close finish.
RCB's other Aussie, Sophie Molineux, also played a key part. With Mumbai still in the driving seat, needing 16 off 12 balls, she bowled a superb penultimate over, conceding just four runs and getting the dangerous Sajeevan Sajana stumped.
Molineux finished with the excellent figures of 1-16 off her four overs, while Perry bowled dangerous opener Yastika Bhatia and Wareham got the key wicket of English ace Nat Sciver-Brunt in her 1-37.
"I'm actually not really sure how we won that one," smiled Wareham. "We just really fought to the end. We said let's keep fighting, take it as deep as possible - and we did.
"Pez (Perry) dug us out of a hole with the bat, and gave us something to defend. She impacts the game in all facets, and to have someone like that on your team is invaluable. We're just lucky she's playing for RCB."
Indeed, there will be an intriguing sub-plot to Sunday's final, with Perry now the orange cap holder as the tournament's leading scorer on 312 runs, with her old Australian teammate Lanning second in the list on 308.
"We're just exctstaic to get the chance to play in the final," said Perry. "The old adage of 'runs on the board' sometimes holds true and I think it did tonight. Can't wait for the final..."
