On her way to South Africa for up the upcoming Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup, teenage cricketing sensation and Sydney Sixers star Jade Allen sees even more opportunity on the horizon.
Hailing from the small NSW south coast town of Cobargo, which is home to just 800 people, the leg spinning prodigy said she was "super excited" to be heading to the African nation after the competition was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID.
Allen, 19, was selected for the World Cup squad after a strong performance as the captain of the NSW Country squad in the recent Under-19 Australian National Championships in Perth.
She took the second most wickets in the tournament with 15, while also notching up 169 runs with the bat.
It will be her second taste of international cricket after being asked to play in Dubai's prestigious FairBreak Invitational Tournament in Dubai in May last year.
"People come from everywhere, and everyone has a different story, and people take playing cricket in Australia for granted so much," Allen said.
"When you hear stories from players overseas it's really eye opening."
Allen said she was still pinching herself after scoring a contract with the country's most successful T20 franchise, the Sydney Sixers, in the Women's Big Bash League.
Playing alongside the likes of stars Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy has taught her a lot about the game in a short time.
"They really go about their business very professionally, and the environment at the Sixers is a very professional one," she said.
"It's a pretty amazing opportunity to get."
With spin bowlers now a hot commodity in the shorter forms of the game, a future lucrative contract in the newly formed women's Indian Premier League is a possibility.
After Cameron Greene's record breaking $3 million offer from the Mumbai Indians took men's cricket payment to a new level, Allen says there is room for women to earn as much as their male colleagues.
"One day I think that would be good, the women's IPL is a good opportunity for more female cricket to be played and for the sport to grow," she said.
"The sport is growing and growing each year.
"Once we get on TV more it will continue to grow."
She said she's tried not to think too much about the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, which will see Australians play their first group stage match against Bangladesh at Willowmoore Park in Benomi on January 14.
Sixteen teams will be split into four groups of four teams, with Australian also set to play the United States and Sri Lanka before likely qualifying for the Super Six stage.
"As a spinner I think the pitches over there are quite similar to Australia, so I'll stick to my same game plan of tossing the ball up, and giving it a little bit of drift and bounce," Allen said.
"I'm hoping to get myself a few wickets and make my mark on the World Cup."
She said her NSW teammates Claire Moore and Kate Pelle and Victorian Ella Hayward will be players to watch during the competition.
"Our team looks pretty good, and we're well rounded," she said.
"I think Australia in all these competitions are pretty hot stuff."
