Blackwell, 34, recently called time on her 16-year-long career, finishing as the most capped Australian female cricketer with 251 international appearances across all three formats of the game.

“It’s a big tick of approval for me and the character I’ve shown over a long playing career,” Blackwell told The Daily Telegraph.

Thanks for all the Twitter love regarding the @dailytelegraph article today. I’ve had my head in the books this lovely Sunday completing @AICDirectors assessments! Getting excited about my new role as @CricketNSW first female elected director #cricket #governance pic.twitter.com/463FzYhc4b

— Alex Blackwell (@AlexBlackwell2) June 17, 2018

Andrew Jones, the CEO, described her as “a brilliant leader who will be an outstanding director”.

Two other women were appointed to the NSW board but Blackwell became the first to be officially elected.

In 144 ODIs, Blackwell smashed 3492 runs at 36 with a highest score of 114, while in 95 T20Is she made 1314 runs with 61 being her top score. She was also part of 12 Tests for Australia where she had 444 runs at 22.20.

[caption id=”attachment_74440″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Blackwell wound up a glittering career with Australia and NSW earlier this year, but will continue to play for Sydney Thunder in the WBBL[/caption]

Blackwell was part of the team that won the ODI World Cup in 2005 and 2013. She later led Australia to victory at the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2010 and added two more World T20 medals to her tally, in 2012 and 2014.

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She was captain of NSW’s women’s team, the Lendlease Breakers – the most successful side in the country’s domestic cricket, and the first one to turn professional.

Though officially retired from international and state cricket, Blackwell will play in the fourth edition of the Women’s Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder.