During her first tour to India, Phoebe Litchfield, who batted first in the game, showed off her skills with the bat by smashing her first century (119 off 125).
The Australian women’s team began their lengthy tour of India in the Test format and then switched to the ODI format. Recognized for their dominance, they demonstrated this when the Alyssa Healy-led team crushed the India women’s team by an overwhelming 190 runs. Thus, in the three-match ODI series, the visitors overcame the hosts with a great bounce-back after losing the opening Test.
In order to put up a 189-run stand that decided the match, Captain Healy also found her game and produced a tremendous knock (82 off 85). Similarly, Litchfield gave her performance some thought after the game. Her idea to play the reverse sweep stroke was a thought-provoking one.
It turns out that Phoebe Litchfield prepares her stroke diligently in nets, despite the Indian spinners’ belief that the Australian batter’s weakness is this stroke. During the reverse sweep, she disclosed that she didn’t really give a damn if the ball spun too much or not. Remarkably, during the ODI series, the South Paw attempted the reverse sweep 12 times and scored 22 runs against India Women.
“Whether or not it spins, I still play it. Because it’s difficult to play with a straight bat, it’s more important to me to reach the area of the ground that is available than to consider whether or not the ball is spinning, according to a comment from Litchfield that ESPN Cricinfo cited.
Every ODI innings, I am out because of tradition, so I need to work on it. Phoebe Litchfield
In addition to the reverse sweep, Phoebe Litchfield talked about improving her ability to play the standard sweep shot. Remarkably, she disclosed that in order to produce force for the stroke, she had been practicing her wrist speed.
Interestingly, Litchfield completed the 50-over format on a high note, scoring 260 runs that included two half-centuries and the match-winning century. She seemed focused on improving her traditional sweep shot, though, despite that. While attempting the sweep shot in the first and second one-day internationals of the series, Sneh Rana and Shreyanka Patil dismissed the 20-year-old.
“I need to improve my conventional sweep because it has allowed me to be out of every ODI innings to date. My forte is the reverse, which I frequently practice on the nets to just increase my wrist speed. That seems like a big part of it. and simply keeping things under control. One of them flew today near Pooja Vastrakar [at backward point]. It all comes down to practice,” Litchfield stated in conclusion.
India
