She grew up watching the likes of Brian Lara and Chris Gayle strutting their stuff on the global stage, and Tahlia Wilson is now preparing to have her time in the sun against the West Indies.
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The Albion Park cricketer was on Wednesday named in NSW's women's squad to take on a touring West Indies in a Twenty20. The match will take place this Thursday at Sydney's Cricket Central.
Fellow Illawarra talent Erin Burns was also included in the Breakers' outfit.
The Windies will use the match as a warm-up ahead of their international T20 series opener against Australia at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
"When we first got told that we were going to play the West Indies, I think everyone was really excited because you don't get these opportunities very often," Wilson told the Mercury.
"I have memories of watching the (Windies) men's team in the Test matches but, more and more, you see the West Indies women on the TV - especially in World Cups - and they can be quite a destructive side. So it will be nice to get out there and have a good battle with them.
"I'm thinking they will score a fair few runs, they've got some big hitters. But it should be an entertaining game and it will be good for our squad, especially with a few youngsters in there playing against such a quality opposition."
The Breakers returned to the field last week for the opening round of the Women's National Cricket League.
NSW opened their account with a five-wicket victory over Queensland on Friday, with Burns playing a starring role. The 35-year-old took 4/31 from 10 overs and then finished unbeaten on 31 (from 26 balls).
The sides then met again two days later and the Fire flipped the script to claim a 79-run win. Wilson top-scored for NSW with 27 runs.
Wilson began pre-season training in May before heading overseas to represent Australia A on a tour against England mid-year. The 23-year-old said it was now good to be playing for the Breakers.
"After coming back from England, I had another pre-season, so it's been great to be back out on the field," Wilson said.
"It was nice to get a win. It would have been nice to get two, but we'll be 1-1 heading into the WBBL (Women's Big Bash League). If you'd told us that at the start of pre-season, we would have been pretty happy."
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
