“Half my mind was like, ‘Oh, I’ve to e-book a flight house kinda quickly,’ as a result of knockout after knockout after knockout – it is robust,” Litchfield tells Cricinfo, reflecting on the prospect of these 4 consecutive must-win video games. “However then, as soon as we began that first knockout recreation, I used to be like, ‘No, we’re truly a very good aspect right here.’
“Instantly, that thought popped out of my head, and it is simply been knockout cricket for 4 video games in a row – effectively, now it is going to be 5 video games in a row. It is the one solution to play, truthfully. It brings out one of the best in your aspect: everybody concentrates a bit extra, and also you see the outcomes.”
Openers Jess Jonassen and Bryony Smith had not reached 20 as a partnership within the first half of the group stage, leaving Litchfield to stroll in below stress at No. 3. “It was in all probability the part of our batting that in all probability simply did not get off to the beginning that we wished,” Litchfield says. “So I put my hand as much as head up the highest and take the powerplay on, and it is labored out effectively.”
She has scored at a rare strike charge of 228.26 within the powerplay throughout her 4 innings on the prime of the order, frequently charging bowlers, leaping exterior leg stump, or enjoying her trademark scoops and reverse-hits. With solely two fielders exterior the 30-yard circle, groups have discovered it unattainable to close her down. “It is good enjoyable,” she says with a smile.
“We have hit our straps within the final couple of video games… We have not simply been strolling over the road: we have been profitable video games fairly considerably.” Litchfield has additionally now recovered from a bout of gastroenteritis that affected a number of of her team-mates, and left her feeling “fairly tough” in Tuesday’s qualification decider towards Manchester Tremendous Giants.
“He is probably certainly one of my favorite coaches I’ve labored with,” Litchfield says of Birrell, the veteran South African, who’s working in ladies’s cricket for the primary time. “He simply jogs my memory of my dad, or my grandpa – like a hybrid… He is a breath of recent air, for positive. His perspective on life and cricket is de facto refreshing for us women.
“It is the primary time he is labored with ladies, so it has been a problem for him – there’s been a number of occasions I am like, ‘Oh dude, that isn’t the best factor to say!’ – however he takes possession for all his actions, and he is aware of loads and he is so skilled… He is been fantastic, actually enjoyable.”
Gibson, the highest-paid English participant within the Hundred, is a novice as captain, as Litchfield was for Sydney Thunder within the WBBL not way back: “We have been fairly a laid-back group: not many conferences, quite simple, and simply enjoying to our strengths: have enjoyable whereas doing it, and hopefully the outcomes handle themselves… She’s taken all of it on the chin, and achieved a very nice job.”
There are actually Sunrisers sides in India, South Africa and England, however Litchfield is a part of their first ladies’s crew, and loved assembly Kaviya Maran, the franchise’s CEO, within the first half of the season: “Kaviya’s nice, very passionate and really joyful that we lastly bought a ladies’s aspect. She’s at all times had a gentle spot for girls’s cricket, and is de facto excited to get within the recreation.
“We noticed her in Leeds once we’d misplaced… She was like, ‘Effectively, I will be in London [for the knockout stages]…’ and we had been like, ‘We’ll be there,’ saying it half-heartedly. However we’re truly going to be right here now… She despatched a message to Adi the opposite evening that she was very proud. It is cool to have that connection, and it’s good when the proprietor actually cares, and you may inform that she does.”
The prospect of a second Lord’s last in six weeks, Litchfield says, “wasn’t even in my sights” till a number of days in the past: “I feel that’d be fairly darn cool – however [first], we have a giant job tomorrow.”
Matt Curler is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98
