Maitlan Brown can't help but get a little frustrated when she hears just how close she is to an Australian call-up.
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But all it does is make one of Australian cricket's brightest stars even more determined to shine for the ACT Meteors in a crucial clash against the Queensland Fire in the WNCL at Allan Border Field on Sunday.
It looms as her final chance to impress for the Meteors before Australian selectors name a squad for the looming World Twenty20 tournament beginning on November 9.
But it certainly isn't her only shot at putting her name up in lights.
Brown has been named in the Cricket Australia XI to face Australia and New Zealand in Twenty20 matches before the two nations square off in a three-match series just days later.
"The Australian selectors have mentioned that I’m really, really close, and it’s a little bit frustrating to hear that, knowing how close I am," Brown said.
"But it’s definitely really promising, so hopefully I continue with good performances in the WNCL and focus on next week and get a call up.
"It definitely would be amazing to play in [the World Twenty20], but I’ve got to focus on the now and show them I’m ready for that. I’m definitely reaching for that.
"To be able to play two international teams in one day [for the Cricket Australia XI] is pretty epic. It’s definitely a challenge but it’s a challenge I’m forward to."
Australian coach Matthew Mott has already indicated selectors have a very strong idea about who will form the bulk of his 15-player squad for the World Twenty20 in the West Indies.
He has named a 13-player squad for the series against the White Ferns, meaning there are two spots up for grabs as Australia hunt for a record fourth women's World Twenty20 title.
The 20-year-old emerging star was welcomed into Australia's national performance squad for the 2018-19 season in an indication of just how close she is to pulling on the green and gold.
While a national call-up would cap off a staggering rise, it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the Wingham product that was taught to play cricket with a tennis ball and an axe handle.
A stress fracture threatened to derail Brown's 2017-18 campaign but she bounced back to play a key role for the Meteors in the WNCL and the Melbourne Renegades in the Women's Big Bash League.
Brown picked up where she left off this season as she claimed 2-30 in the Meteors' season opener against Tasmania on Friday, but it wasn't enough for a complacent ACT outfit to salvage a victory.
"Despite being as disappointing as it was, I think we definitely took a lot from it and we can learn a lot from our mistakes," Brown said.
"We just need to bat for longer. We batted so well, got us off to a really good start. Our fault pretty much is that we can bat good, we just can’t bat for long. That’s what we’re going to take into the game, to bat longer.
"We bowled really well considering how much of a road and how much of a good batting deck it was, we did really well with the ball."
ACT METEORS WNCL FIXTURE
September 21: Tasmania bt ACT Meteors by five wickets at Allan Border Field.
September 23: ACT Meteors v Queensland at Allan Border Field, 9.30am.
November 9: ACT Meteors v Victoria at Manuka Oval, 10am.
November 11: ACT Meteors v Western Australia at Manuka Oval, 10am.
February 16: ACT Meteors v NSW at Karen Rolton Oval (Adelaide), 10am.
February 18: ACT Meteors v South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval (Adelaide), 10am.
Click here for the full fixture.
