Blackwell, Osborne relish new challenge

Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars veteran Alex Blackwell is set to line up alongside Australian men’s team players Chris Rogers, Mitch Marsh and Peter Nevill in a two-day match tonight (AEST) on the Isle of Wight.

Blackwell will come up against returning Test quick Ryan Harris as she ramps up her preparation ahead of the women’s Ashes, and was a late call-up for the match featuring players from the Elite International Academy XI and Hampshire Second XI.

The 31-year-old is in England as part of the Elite International Cricket Academy, which was launched at the Ageas Bowl in 2013 and each year takes in a number of promising young cricketers from Australia and New Zealand.

This year the group includes young Australian trio Jake Doran, Tom Andrew and Sean Willis – players Blackwell has been training with regularly since her arrival in the UK.

And the NSW Breakers and Southern Stars batter is no stranger to taking on male cricketers, playing third grade cricket weekly in the Kent League and impressing with 120 at the top of the order on debut.

Blackwell and Erin Osborne – who was also set to play in the Isle of Wight match until she was ruled out with a shoulder injury – also enjoyed the opportunity to take on the Black Caps ODI side as part of their experience with the Elite International Academy.

It was an experience in which they learned a host of lessons in a hurry.

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Alex Blackwell facing Ellyse Perry in the nets

“We’re facing faster bowlers all the time and we’re getting side arm throws from the coaches which are sometimes quicker than the bowling, so you’re always challenged in terms of the speed of your footwork and where your weight is going while batting,” Blackwell told cricket.com.au.

“Against female bowlers you have a bit more time on your hands but with these guys you’re challenged every time.

“Playing against the New Zealand ODI men’s squad was a really great experience. You had the ball coming much quicker to you in the field … but I felt like I saved maybe four runs across the game with some diving saves.

“They ran on my arm so I tried to combat that with some quick foot-speed, and I got a direct hit when they maybe risked it too much.

“I also got to face Grant Elliott, who is a medium pacer but is quicker than any of the girls I’ve faced.

“I got pinned down by their left-arm orthodox spinner. I survived a few overs but I felt like I had few answers to him. It was really challenging, eventually I got bowled through the gate but I was happy to be able to spend some time out there.”

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Erin Osborne will miss the Isle of Wight match with a minor injury

Osborne, 25, is currently playing for Sussex Women’s alongside England stars Sarah Taylor and Georgia Ellwis, and described the training sessions with the men from the Elite International Academy and the experience of playing the Black Caps as “ideal preparation for the Ashes”.

“It’s been great. Playing on Sundays for Sussex is a good step up and it gives me a good opportunity to get used to the conditions over here before we go into the Ashes,” Osborne said.

“Against the Black Caps, it was all about being able to adapt your game and be able to think on the spot.

“Both Alex and I were a little bit hesitant to play purely because of the nature of the men’s game and how fast they bowl … but we’re both glad we did it. It was a good challenge and something we can be very proud to put on the CV.”

The Women’s Ashes begins on July 21 at Somerset County Ground with the first of three ODIs.

Matches two and three are on July 23 and 26, with a one-off Test on August 11 followed by three T20 matches on August 26, 28 and 31.

Isle of Wight match

Team 1: Chris Rogers, Sean Terry, Tom Alsop, Mitch Marsh, Peter Nevill, Josh Finnie, Felix Organ, Alex Blackwell, Adam Zampa, Tom Andrews, Ryan Duffield, James Tomlinson

Team 2: Joe Gatting, Michael Pollard, Jake Doran, Lewis McManus, Sean Willis, Brad Taylor, Ben Duggan, Mason Crane, Brad Wheal, Tom Barber, Ryan Harris, Ben Ashkenazi

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