Phoebe Litchfield, the main player in the Northern Superchargers’ victory, was at Lord’s two weeks ago, enjoying a T20 title victory in the Women’s Hundred. Her season-high 292 runs came with a strike rate of 157.83, which was the third-best total of the year. She had to change gears on Sunday, September 14, when Australia faced India in their first One-Day International (ODI) before the 50-over World Cup.
The assignment response seemed to be flawless. Despite hitting 14 fours on his way to a knock of 88 (80), Litchfield learnt a lot about the slightly longer format.
“That was the biggest thing that I learnt today, that my brain was probably going a bit quicker than it needed to, especially for the format – 50-over cricket’s a long game,” Litchfield stated in reference to the change from the Hundred to ODIs.
“You can pace your innings in that way because you know you have plenty of time. I simply need to strike a balance between that and our desire to advance the game and play an attacking style of cricket.”
After reaching a century at the Wankhede in January 2024, Litchfield was poised for her third ODI century and her second in India. After misfiring on a reverse sweep against Sneh Rana, she lost by a score of 12.
“All I did was try to win the game and put the squad ahead of the pace. I back that photo, but I think I became a little obsessed with the reverse (sweep).
“Batting with the captain, Ellyse, and Beth is fantastic; it makes my job a lot easier. Having a cool head outside is good. “They’re masters of their craft, and they’re really good at starting and keeping me going, but they also bat ridiculously well (themselves),” Litchfield continued. “But sometimes my head is racing.”
The guests as a whole had to take into consideration the humid weather in New Chandigarh, while Litchfield adapted to the shift in formats. Ellyse Perry struggled with calf cramping and ended up retiring injured in the middle of Australia’s chase after batting 38 deliveries. As Australia bowled, Annabel Sutherland also took a break from the heat.
“It was hot and I think the humidity adds a different layer to that,” Litchfield stated. “We’re only growing accustomed to it. We did some heat acclimation, but occasionally your body refuses.
Prior to the second ODI on Wednesday, September 17, at the same location, Australia will take a two-day break to recover.
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