Blackwell bows out at top
AUSTRALIA’S most- capped female cricketer, Alex Blackwell, says she wanted to leave the game while still at her peak.
But though the Australian vice-captain and long-serving NSW skipper announced her retirement from international and state cricket yesterday, she promised she would not be lost to the game.
Blackwell, 34, has long been a key figure for both club and country, as well as for Women’s Big Bash League club Sydney Thunder, where she will continue to play.
Nevertheless, the consistent run-scorer decided this season she would end her involvement in an Australian career that has brought a record 251 appearances across all three formats and included five ICC World Cup wins.
“It is really nice to retire at a time when I feel when my game has never been stronger,” Blackwell said at the SCG.
Blackwell has created an extensive on-field resume that started with a one-day international against England in early 2003.
She captained Australia to a maiden ICC Twenty20 World Cup win in 2010 and is third on the list of Australia’s one-day run-scorers, behind Belinda Clark and Karen Rolton. Little wonder Cricket NSW chief executive Andrew Jones described Blackwell as “quite simply one of the greatest cricketers NSW and Australia has produced”.
“I’m proud to be a part of an organisation which has really led on issues such as diversity, inclusion and gender equity, and I recognise the small part I have played in that,” she said.
Blackwell has a final opportunity to shine at state level when she leads NSW on Sunday for the Women’s National Cricket League final. NSW is looking to earn a 19th title in the 22-year WNCL history.