ACT Meteors coach Andrew Dawson has backed Katie Mack as an Australian star of the future following the 20-year-old's breakout performance in a clean-sweep weekend for the team.
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Mack ''emerged from the wilderness'' in three wins against the South Australia Scorpions at Chisholm, scoring 118 runs in her two innings.
The Meteors cruised to a seven-wicket win in the Twenty20 match on Sunday to complete a perfect weekend against the Scorpions and edge closer to a finals berth.
Mack joined the Meteors this season after spending the past couple of years on the fringes of the NSW Breakers.
The opening batter scored 77 in the 50-over match on Saturday and then backed up with a fast 41 in the Twenty20 on Sunday.
''She is so athletic, without a shadow of a doubt she's got a great future,'' Dawson said.
''Her biggest challenge is to keep adapting to everything that comes her way.
''The women's game is going in the direction of athletic players and that's what she is. That's what I want for the future of the Meteors program. You have to be an athlete if you want to play at a high level.''
The Meteors have set their sights on making the Twenty20 finals, but are already resigned to missing the 50-over play-offs.
They sent a message to their rivals with an easy win against the Scorpions in the last match between the teams on Sunday.
Tight bowling restricted South Australia to a total of just 5-119 off its allocated overs.
Rhiannon Dick was superb again, claiming 1-13 off her four overs and Sally Moylan got two run-outs.
Mack then led the Meteors' batting, smashing five boundaries in her 41 off 43 balls.
She was well backed up by Sara Hungerford (23) and Rene Farrell (31), the Meteors losing just three wickets before clinching the victory with three overs remaining.
The Meteors' last two Twenty20 games before the finals are against Queensland in Brisbane on December 20 and 22. Captain Kris Britt said: ''We are controlling our own destiny right now and that's what we want. Ideally it's set up perfectly and it's up to us to snatch that spot in the finals.''
ACT METEORS 3-120 (K Mack 41, R Farrell 31no) bt SOUTH AUSTRALIA SCORPIONS 5-119 (B Patterson 32, T McGrath 26no) at Chisholm Oval on Sunday.
