Ellyse Perry has backed Darcie Brown to shoulder the weight of helping lead an Ashes and World Cup attack following Tayla Vlaeminck's season-ending foot injury.
Brown became Australia's youngest Test wicket-taker at age 18 on Friday, taking the new ball with Megan Schutt left out of the Test and Vlaeminck injured.
The teenager's busy summer will continue into the one-day component of the Ashes series, before she turns 19 a day after Australia's first game in the one-day World Cup.
Perry herself made headlines when she featured in a home World Cup in 2009 as an 18-year-old, becoming the youngest Australian to feature in one at the time.
And she has no doubt that Brown is both mature and skilled enough to stand up as Australia try to reclaim the trophy they lost in 2017.
"Nothing fazes her too much," Perry said.
"She's in a really good spot, she's played a lot of cricket this summer already. She had an outstanding Big Bash, took a lot of wickets there.
"She's there with the new ball to take wickets. It's an exciting opportunity for Darc, I think she'll take it head on.
"We've done a lot of chatting as a fast-bowling group with Ben Sawyer, who is an exceptional coach. We've got some really good things going forward."
Brown's first Test wicket came on the same day she was named the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year as part of the Australian cricket awards.
Voted on by players and coaches, past recipients of ther award include Sophie Molineux, Georgia Redmayne, Georgia Wareham and Vlaeminck,
Brown made her international debut against India at the start of the summer, taking 4-33 in her first game for Australia in an ODI in Mackay.
The South Australian was also the leading wicket-taker of all quicks in the WBBL this summer, taking 19 wickets at an average of 16 as part of Adelaide's run to the final.
"It's pretty special, I'm a bit shocked by it," Brown said of her award.
"Grateful to be able to say I've won this award, but there's a few other girls who probably also deserved it.
"Making my debut for Australia was special, not many people get to say that they played for Australia."
