Blackwell keeping her options open

Sydney Thunder skipper Alex Blackwell says she’ll wait until the end of her team’s Rebel WBBL finals campaign before making a call on her playing future.

The Australia legend, who played 12 Tests, 144 ODIs and 95 T20Is, retired from international and domestic 50-over cricket early last month, but has continued to don the lime green as she leads the Thunder in WBBL|04.

But the 35-year-old has also branched out into several new post-cricket career, having coached the Lancashire Thunder in England’s domestic T20 Super League last Australian winter, while she’s also sitting on the Cricket NSW board.

The Thunder will battle the Brisbane Heat for a spot in the WBBL|04 final at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval on Saturday and for now, Blackwell’s focus is purely on that game.

“I think I’ll make those decisions after the WBBL is wrapped up,” said Blackwell, who is off-contract at the end of the season.

“I’m enjoying the multiple roles I have within cricket at the moment and have really, really enjoyed playing this season so I’ll see about making this decision afterwards.”

Blackwell has scored just one half-century for the Big Bash season to date coming in lower down the order, but is averaging 30.22 and if her 66no from 48 deliveries against the Melbourne Renegades earlier this month is anything to go by, she’s hitting her peak at the right time.

If the Thunder captain does play on, it’ll be a remarkable 19th season for the right-handed batter.

“(I came into last season) after a World Cup, Ashes, the WNCL and a long WBBL and hot conditions,” she said.

“The hot conditions haven’t changed but I’ve come into this tournament fresh.

“While that was a little bit scary not having played as much cricket as I would normally have done coming into the tournament, fourteen games is quite a bit of cricket and I’ve really enjoyed peaking for the finals.

“I’m happy with the contributions I’ve made thus far, but on a personal note it would be really lovely to contribute in a semi-final.”

The Thunder will welcome another veteran back into their XI for Saturday’s semi-final, with seamer Rene Farrell returning from a broken finger.

She comes into the squad in place of India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who has linked up with her national squad in New Zealand for a series beginning next Thursday.

“It was a blow at the back end of the season having an injury to one of our senior bowlers but our younger bowling group rallied around each other … the likes of Rachel Trenaman coming through and breaking through the way she did on debut, taking some really key wickets for us,” Blackwell said.

“We’ve got a really difficult team to pick and that’s a really great position to be in.”

The matches will be broadcast live on Channel Seven and Fox Cricket, while there will also be radio coverage on the ABC.

Fans following online will be able to stream the match via Kayo, while scores, radio coverage and video replays will also be available on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live app.