Katie Mack's dream start to the WNCL season could launch her international ambitions after the ACT Meteors batter was called into a Cricket Australia XI.
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Mack was named in an invitational side on Tuesday to play in warm-up matches when England arrives to ramp up preparations for the women's Ashes.
Mack scored an unbeaten 113 off 125 balls on Sunday and it didn't take long for selectors to reward her effort, calling her later in the night to offer her a stepping stone chance for her career.
The 24-year-old will play against England in two practice matches in Brisbane on October 16 and 18 before the Ashes series begins on October 22.
It will be an opportunity for Mack to show she's ready to step up to international cricket after smashing the Queensland bowling attack at Manuka Oval.
"It was a good day on Sunday, but it was a bit unexpected because I didn't even know these [Cricket Australia XI] games were on," Mack said.
"But now it's quite exciting and I'm ready to play. I just want to test myself out ... it's always good to get more games.
"For women, there's a lack of one-day games we get to play so this is going to add to that and will test out what I've been working on at a higher level.
"Playing against England, if you perform, it could lead to anywhere. But I think about that every game I play."
Mack tinkered with her batting technique in the off-season and she got immediate results in the opening WNCL games.
She led the Meteors to an unbeaten weekend to start the season, but the team will have to wait six weeks for the next round of the WNCL competition.
Meteors recruit and South Africa captain Dane Van Niekerk has no doubt Mack will settle into international cricket after getting a front-row seat to her century.
"The potential and work ethic is there [for Mack], that's the big thing for international cricket," said Van Niekerk, the No. 3 ranked all-rounder in the world.
"You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't work hard it won't take you anywhere.
"[Mack's] fitness stood out. She ran me into the ground when I was down the other end. It's small things like that make a champion. No doubt she will score a lot more runs."
Cricket ACT is hoping to sell out two women's Ashes games at Manuka Oval on November 19 and 21.
Van Niekerk wants to use the extended WNCL break to help her get back to peak fitness after battling injuries after her women's World Cup campaign.
"We want to get cricket fit at the moment," Van Niekerk said.
"I tore my quad and had a stress fracture in my foot. I had a six-week break, but now it's just getting back into it 100 per cent. We came here to learn more about our game."
