Litchfield stars in Hundred debut to cap dominant week

Australian batting prodigy Phoebe Litchfield has continued a spectacular week by making a match-winning debut for Northern Superchargers in The Women's Hundred competition.

Just six days after becoming the second youngest Aussie woman to hit a one-day international century, leading the national team to a 10-wicket win over Ireland in Belfast, the exciting 20-year-old left-hander delivered another match-sealing knock on debut at the Superchargers' home ground of Headingley.

Litchfield was a late replacement signing for the Yorkshire-based franchise, stepping in to replace her international captain Alyssa Healy, who had to withdraw with injury.

And the first impressions were that the Superchargers have a superb stand-in as Litchfield produced a serene unbeaten 42 off just 29 balls to guide the home side to an effortless-looking seven-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix with 22 balls remaining.

Among her seven boundaries were four crashed in successive balls off Tess Flintoff as Litchfield shared top billing with her teammate, England allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards, who took 3-11 off her 20 balls as well as grabbing two catches and claiming a key run out as the Superchargers restricted the visitors to 8-110 off their 100 balls.

Litchfield's national teammate, spinner Georgia Wareham, took 1-24 off her 20 balls after New Zealander Sophie Devine had got the Phoenix off to a flyer with her 46 off 36 balls before she was superbly run out by Davidson-Richards' direct hit from mid-off.

The Hundred men's clash later between the Superchargers and the Phoenix was quickly ended by torrential rain in Leeds with just 62 balls possible.

Australian Matt Short was left particularly frustrated as he had made a big impression, taking 2-9 off 10 balls for the Superchargers, grabbing the wickets of Dan Mousley and Shadab Khan as the Phoenix had slumped to 5-84.

England star Ben Duckett, fresh from Ashes duty, scored an unbeaten 34 off 26 balls.