Channelling Viv And Lara - Could Perrin 'dominate' Women's Game?

The Oval crowd were connected their feet.

The long, large ovation was nickname that they had witnessed thing special.

Moments earlier Davina Perrin had picked nan spread perfectly pinch a delicate precocious trim to bring up an astonishing century.

Having raced to 96 from 41 balls, she knew she was connected nan brink of a singular accomplishment - historical arsenic it turned retired - but acold from being overawed by nan situation, Perrin maintained nan calm and power she had shown each innings.

It was nan benignant of composure you mightiness expect from a seasoned but Perrin's sound of 101 from 43 balls - 1 that featured 15 fours and 5 sixes - is each nan much spectacular fixed she is still 9 days awkward of her 19th birthday.

Make nary mistake, this was not conscionable a magnificent innings 'for a teenager', it was a magnificent innings. Full stop.

But nan truth that it came from a teen - a achromatic English teenager, successful a knockout game, to lead her broadside into a Lord's last - makes it each nan much exciting.

Whether you are a instrumentality of Northern Superchargers aliases The Hundred isn't important, if you're an English cricket instrumentality - aliases a cricket fan, successful wide - this was an innings to make you guidelines up and return note.

Perrin has travel done nan ACE programme, founded by erstwhile England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent successful 2020 successful consequence to nan crisp diminution of achromatic British players successful nan master game.

Five years on, Perrin has go nan first achromatic British female to people a period successful a T20 - The Hundred is classed arsenic specified for statistical purposes - astatine master level.

"She was 13 erstwhile I first met her," Rainford-Brent told BBC Sport. "As soon arsenic lockdown was cleared, we went for a net.

"I sewage nan bowling instrumentality retired and I told her to deed done nan disconnected side, past deed complete nan apical of cover, past down nan ground.

"She deed it pinch powerfulness and precision consecutive away, conscionable nailed it. She had a afloat 360 crippled astatine 13 and I knew she was special."

The expertise to play each astir nan wicket was evident astatine The Oval arsenic she sewage herself going by smoking a thrust done nan covers earlier effortlessly flicking nan shot complete quadrate limb for six a fewer balls later.

There is simply a flamboyance to Perrin's crippled - "a bully swagger" says Rainford-Brent - and pinch West Indies legends Sir Viv Richards and Brian Lara arsenic inspirations, possibly that should beryllium nary surprise.

"I emotion Sir Viv's flair. I emotion Brian Lara's expertise to people runs and people big, positive he had that hunger to spell and do so. That's each I'm reasoning astir really," Perrin told Sky Sports.

"My dada ever had their YouTube videos up truthful I've been watching them since I was six aliases 7 years aged - I ever effort to transmission them."

The dream for Perrin is she tin connection thing akin to nan adjacent generation.

"It's successful moments for illustration these that I'm other proud, I'm capable to return pridefulness successful what I've done because we're a minority," she told BBC Sport.

"There's not that galore achromatic girls playing successful nan master crippled and I'm hoping now I've group a spot of a level truthful much young achromatic girls - and boys, of people - tin spot they tin do it too."

Rainford-Brent added: "She is immensely proud of her heritage, her community. She is 18 and already truthful invested successful being a domiciled model, which says truthful overmuch astir her character."

Perrin's 42-ball 100 is nan fastest by an English female successful T20s, and nan associated 3rd fastest women's T20 period successful a awesome convention aliases afloat personnel T20 international.

"It was conscionable nan cleanest of striking and nan clarity of mind," erstwhile England accelerated bowler Steven Finn said connected BBC Radio Sports Extra.

That benignant of operation is apt to get England willing successful a hurry.

Charlotte Edwards' broadside are crying retired for nan explosive hitting Perrin tin provide, particularly successful nan T20 side.

But location is nan request for a small restraint because arsenic breathtaking arsenic her period was, she is still a agelong measurement from nan vanished article.

Another fabulous innings, an unbeaten 72 from 40 earlier successful The Hundred, was followed by scores of 13, 14, 10, four, 3 and 5 successful her adjacent six innings.

Imperious arsenic Perrin is erstwhile she is connected opus - and it really is simply a show to behold - she is still searching for consistency.

"That's thing I'm looking to build connected pinch much experience," she told BBC Sport.

In that tally of debased scores, nan Superchargers opener struggled to enforce herself erstwhile guidance bowlers deed their straps early.

Let her get disconnected to a flyer, past bully luck. But for now, moving her measurement into an innings remains an area for improvement.

Throwing Perrin consecutive into world cricket mightiness not beryllium wise, but you'd struggle to find anyone who does not spot England caps successful her future.

"She is truthful talented, it's ridiculous," said Rainford-Brent said.

"The early is truthful agleam for her, and it's intriguing to spot erstwhile she'll break into nan England side.

When it comes to nan effect Perrin mightiness beryllium capable to have, Rainford-Brent says you request look nary further than existent Superchargers team-mate - and possibly early Ashes rival - to spot what is possible.

"I person ever been a large instrumentality of Australia's Phoebe Litchfield, too. We've seen really overmuch she has dominated women's cricket precocious - that's what is adjacent for Davina," she said.

"This was a reminder to herself, her family, her coaches - this is what she tin do. Imagine what she will beryllium successful 10 years."