As a child Alex Blackwell had a dream she hardly dared to believe was possible: to become a professional cricket player.
Not because she wasn’t talented – she had potential very early on – but because she didn’t see a pathway to become one.
For a young Alex growing up in the 1980s and ’90s, women’s cricket at a high level existed, but it wasn’t a full-time job.
Fast-forward a couple decades and the 34-year-old is now one of Australia’s best cricketers and has been able to make a living from her chosen sport alone for several years.
![alex-blackwell-cricket-australia](https://cdn.mamamia.com.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/30145850/alex-blackwell-cricket-australia.jpg)
In October, Blackwell became the fourth woman ever to play 250 games for Australia - a significant achievement in the batsman's already sparkling career.