Veteran Alex Blackwell has declared captain Meg Lanning the best batter she has ever seen on the eve of the Women's World Cup in England where Australia will chase a record seventh title.
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Lanning's team arrived in the UK a week ago and went straight to Southampton for a training camp before beating New Zealand impressively in their first warm-up match.
They have since relocated to Leicester and play two more practice matches, against South Africa and Pakistan, before opening their tournament against the West Indies at Taunton on June 29.
New Zealand were spared any Lanning fireworks in the practice match, the captain sat out the batting innings as Ellyse Perry led the way with a blistering century, but Lanning is expected to be unleashed on Tuesday against South Africa at Oakham as Australia ramp up their World Cup defence.
"She's as good as I've seen, that's all I can say," former Australian captain Alex Blackwell said.
"It's a real joy to see her in full flight. I recall her hundred against New Zealand in a one-dayer, she scored it off 40-odd balls.
"She crashed a six into the sightscreen back over the bowler's head. She leaves an impression and that impression will inspire girls and boys, men and women.
"Anyone could model their batting on her and you're doing the right thing."
Lanning blasted her 10th one-day international century in March as Australia wrapped up the Rose Bowl against New Zealand. In doing so she became the only women's cricketer in history to have scored 10 ODI centuries.
Her closest challenger is England legend Charlotte Edwards but she retired from the international game last year aged 36 after a two-decade career during which she blasted nine triple-figure scores at ODI level.
Incredibly, Lanning turned just 25 in March, only a few short weeks after making the one-day centuries record her own.
She averages a staggering 52.37 with the bat, the best of any player with more than 1500 one-day international runs, and has already compiled 2671 runs in the international 50-over game.
Blackwell, in contrast, one of Australia's most consistent run producers, is 10th on the all-time list with 3177 runs at 34.91.
"She's not your genuine slog sweeper, like most of us, she plays it too gracefully with a vertical bat and, you know what, it goes a long way – she could probably half-hit it and it'd be fine," Blackwell said.
"I think it's one of her frustrations that she can't really slog. I'd have that problem. I'd be quite happy to trade that and hit sixes with ease over cover. She can have my agricultural slog sweep."
At 33, Blackwell is the oldest member of Australia's 15-player squad in England and this year's World Cup will be her fourth in the 50-over format.
She's set to play a crucial role in Australia's middle order after another strong summer domestically with the bat, and Blackwell has hinted she may well be eyeing a fifth World Cup appearance in four years.
"I still feel like I'm on an upward trajectory with my own game and I'm excited about the improvements still to come," Blackwell said. "I'm not looking at the end, but I understand that any World Cup is an absolute privilege.
"I'm very fortunate ... Any World Cup could be your last, any match for Australia could be your last.
"I appreciated that when I had my ACL reconstruction back in 2006. I'd been in the Australian team for three [years] at that point and all of a sudden I realised how quickly it can be taken away.
"Since that moment I've just really grabbed every opportunity to play in the green and gold, understanding that you've really got to enjoy it while you're doing it, and that it could end at any moment.
"I'm just really setting myself up to enjoy this because we've worked really hard and I know I've put in the yards to be the best prepared I can be."
