Alice Davidson-Richards steals show as Superchargers win big

Northern Superchargers started their 2023 season of The Hundred in fantastic style at home as they beat Birmingham Phoenix at Headingley on Thursday (August 3). Alice Davidson-Richards headlined the day with her all-round performance while young Phoebe Litchfield made quite an impression on her debut in the tournament.

All-round ADR

Davidson-Richards came in as the fifth bowling option after her captain Hollie Armitage won the toss. But even before she arrived at the bowling crease, she had an impact on the match as it was her catch off Kate Cross broke the opening partnership.

However, it was her efforts with the ball that left a lasting mark on the outcome of the game. Phoenix were looking to take off with Sophie Devine and Amy Jones at the crease when Davidson-Richards started her first set. And it took her only three deliveries to break that stand as she dug the deliveries in short. The England couldn't hold back herself and she was caught at deep mid-wicket as she went for a pull. 

After Georgia Wareham pulled off an excellent return catch, Davidson-Richards removed talented Tess Flintoff with a replica of Jones' dismissal. The 29-year-old then removed Emily Arlott with a direct hit the non-striking end from mid-off. 

But she didn't stop there, in the next set, Davidson-Richards got the biggest scalp with Devine hitting one Litchfield to be dismissed for 46. The Superchargers allrounder embellished her efforts in the field with another catch at wide long-off as Phoenix struggled for a strong finish.

Coming into bat with Superchargers almost won the match, Davidson-Richards rounded off her excellent day as she finished the match off in style with a maximum over long-off.

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Phoebe Phenom

Ever since her batting at the New South Wales training nets went viral as a young 16-year-old, Litchfield has been marked as a talent to watch out for. Now 20, the southpaw has grown in leaps in bounds in recent times including making appearances for Australia in all three formats.Came in as a replacement for her Aussie teammate Alyssa Healy, Litchfield hit the ground runnings straight from the get go. Walking in at three after Jemimah Rodrigues and Marie Kelly gave a strong start, the young left-hander cover drove Devine off the second ball she faced elegantly for a four to begin her innings. She repeated the feat again in the same set.

But it was the introduction of Flintoff into the attack that helped Litchfield to show her range as she hit the pacer for four consecutive boundaries. After playing a dot ball, she slinked down the track and hit the bowler through covers for her trademark shot and then paddled it through fine-leg for another four when the wicket-keeper came up. Fourth ball of the set sped through point and the cherry on the cake was a smash to the cover boundary in the last delivery as Superchargers took complete control of the proceedings.

When Davidson-Richards hit the six to take Superchargers home at Headingley, Litchfield was comfortably placed on an unbeaten 42 off 29 balls with seven fours to her name.

Brief scores: Birmingham Phoenix 110/8 in 100 balls (Sophie Devine 46; Alice Davidson-Richards 3/20, Linsey Smith 1/10) lost to Northern Superchargers 112/3 in 78 balls (Phoebe Litchfield 42*, Marie Kelly 24; Issy Wong 1/9) by 7 wickets POTM: Alice Davidson-Richards