When England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor runs out to play in a men's two-day grade cricket match this weekend, she will become the first woman to do so in Australia.
The current ICC Women's International One-Day Cricketer of the Year will play for Northern Districts against Port Adelaide in South Australia's elite men's competition starting on Saturday.
Taylor is looking forward to her debut with nervous excitement.
"I've always wanted to push myself and check where I'm at in terms of my cricket," Taylor said.
"It's going to take a bit for me to get used to the extra pace and bounce but I want to challenge myself and test where my cricket is at, to see if I can cope at that level."
No woman has played in the competition and none has done so in a two-day match in any men's A-grade tournament in the country.
Former Australia fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick played one T20 match for the Dandenong club in Victoria in 2006-07 while national women's team all-rounder Ellyse Perry played in an under-21 T20 match in Sydney.
But Taylor shows no fear of being outnumbered by Y chromosomes on the pitch, even welcoming the prospect of sledging.
"If I get any sledging (verbal abuse), it's a bit of respect because they're treating me like one of the other players."
The wicketkeeper is an old hand at men's cricket, playing for Walmley, Birmingham and the English District Premier League two years ago.
Taylor, who has played eight Tests, 98 one-day internationals and 73 Twenty20 matches for England, will keep wicket and bat at No. 8 in the Northern Districts' order.
Cricket Australia General Manager Team Performance Pat Howard said Taylor's selection could be precedent setting, setting a path for other female players.
"As the women's game becomes increasingly professional there are more opportunities than ever before for elite female players," Howard said.
"Sarah's selection for the Northern District Cricket Club's first XI is a demonstration that cricket is a sport for all."
Taylor is in Australia to play for the South Australia Scorpions in the Women's National Cricket League, scoring 101 in the first match of the season last weekend.
She's set to join the Adelaide Strikers in Australia's inaugural women's Big Bash Twenty20 League.
"I'm just really happy with my glove-work through the England summer as a whole, so hopefully I can take that form into the men's game," Taylor said.
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