A maiden Women's Big Bash League title for Jess Jonassen would be a fitting reward on Saturday after the Brisbane Heat spinner endured a start of summer from hell.
Australia's No.1 spinner for the past two years, Jonassen was forced to watch from the sidelines as the team won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean following a knee injury pre-tournament.
After spending the best part of two months fighting back, the left-arm tweaker was unable to crack into the side with young stars Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham firing.
"To not play a game in the West Indies was very challenging mentally," Jonassen told AAP.
"I found myself in a situation that I hadn't been in for a long time.
"I'd been so used to being able to find ways to contribute to team success and I had to learn to navigate through that and find different ways."
Surgery on the knee marked the fourth of Jonassen's career, after the unlucky 26-year-old also missed the 2013 World Cup through the same problem.
It also prompted doubts in her own belief, as she piled pressure on herself to perform in the WBBL despite being the world's No.1 ranked women's one-day bowler before her injury.
"I put that extra pressure on myself," Jonassen said.
"To prove not only to selectors but also to myself that I could still execute and perform at a decent level.
"Being an international player you want to prove that you can still do it in a way.
"But it's not like I'm at the end of my career and I need to worry about that sort of thing. I know I will get more opportunities."
Jonassen is hoping that next chance comes next month against New Zealand.
But more immediately she wants to help Brisbane to their first WBBL crown against two-time champions Sydney Sixers at Drummoyne on Saturday.
She played a starring role as she bowled the last over in the Heat's thrilling final-ball semi-final win over the Thunder, and is the Heat's most credentialed big-game player.
"It took until Wednesday to get my head around the finish," Jonassen said.
"There's been so many times we've been on the wrong side of net run-rate or things like that going against us.
"Being our first final on Saturday we're just able to go out and freely express ourselves."
Australian Associated Press
