Australian batter Alex Blackwell says match-winning allrounder Ellyse Perry has taken her game to a new level during the Women’s Ashes.

Cross-sport star Perry scored 90 not out on Australia Day to keep the Southern Stars’ Ashes hopes alive ahead of the three Twenty20 matches against England starting in Hobart on Wednesday.

Australia must win all three of the remaining Ashes fixtures to claim the urn, but the last-ditch heroics from Perry and Erin Osborne (40 not out) in the third one-day match in Hobart have given the home side some momentum.

Perry burst onto the scene primarily as an opening fast bowler for Australia, but Blackwell (51) said the 23-year-old from Sydney had blossomed as an allround cricketer – varying her bowling and contributing big runs with the bat.

“Ellyse is an outstanding athlete … this season she’s showing some of the best cricket I’ve seen her play,” Blackwell said.

“It’s really pleasing to have her in the team at the moment and for her to be leading the way. I think we’re seeing a bit more with the bat than we have previously and she’s playing a more adaptable role with the ball, not always opening and I think she’s taking that on really well.”

Blackwell said England would be “nervous” after missing a chance to close out the series, with Australia chasing down 268.

The rock-solid middle-order batter said the side can complete a remarkable turnaround, but still believes the women’s Ashes format needs to be adjusted.

England took six points from winning the one and only Test, setting Australia a major task to resurrect the series given the one-day and Twenty20 matches are worth just two points a win.

“I like the mix. Perhaps we could look at the distribution of points, I think six points is a large number for one match,” Blackwell said.

“But you do want to recognise the Test as the highly weighted match given the history of the Ashes. Four points for the Tests I think would be quite good and then two points for every other match. Or perhaps you could play the Test at the end to keep the series well and truly alive.”