Middle-order batter Alex Blackwell has appealed to fans to head to the MCG on Sunday as the home team try to come from behind to win the women’s Ashes series.
Following England’s triumph in the one-off Test match in Perth, Australia now need to win five of the upcoming six one-day and Twenty20 clashes to claim the series on points.
The three-match series of one-dayers including Sunday’s opener at the MCG are stand-alone games, but the three T20 fixtures are curtain-raisers to the men’s Australia-England clashes.
“I don’t think we need to panic too much,” Blackwell said on Friday at the MCG.
“We’ve got a quality side.
“We realise the task ahead of us is a tough one against a strong English side.
“(But) we know how to play those limited-overs games. We play that all season.
“Hopefully some more fans get down and try to fill this big stadium.
“It’s a little bit daunting playing at the MCG when not too many people are there.
“It’s a great venue. We get to play on some fantastic grounds over the next six games, particularly the Twenty20s with the double-headers.”
Blackwell, who made a pair in the Perth Test, says she has no doubts over Australia’s match-winning abilities.
“We’ve just got to focus on Sunday and nothing else,” Blackwell said.
England medium-pacer Kate Cross looms as a threat to Australia’s middle order.
The 22-year-old claimed match figures of 6-70 off 32 overs in Perth.
“Kate Cross performed very well in the Test match,” Blackwell said.
“But in the one-day game where players are looking to score more, we’ll hopefully nullify her effect on the game.
“Out here on the MCG it tends to be a little bit slow and low.
“I would anticipate we’ll be facing more spin and we have to really capitalise there, get a lot of twos and threes on the big ground.”