'left Or Right-handed, I Back Myself' - Dissecting The 'litch Switch'

Phoebe Litchfield thinks her days arsenic an Australia younker lucky subordinate thief her erstwhile it comes to her trademark changeable - 1 moreover she admits she whitethorn now beryllium playing excessively often.

The changeable successful mobility is nan move deed - nan 'Litch switch', if you will.

Left-hander Litchfield scores much runs erstwhile flipping to a right-handed stance and rotating her grip connected nan bat than immoderate different subordinate successful nan women's crippled - and has continued to do truthful successful this year's Hundred for Northern Superchargers.

"That plaything is rather acquainted to me," says nan 22-year-old batter.

And nan logic is simple.

In a women's T20 nan fielding squad is allowed 4 fielders extracurricular of nan 30-yard circle aft nan powerplay - 1 less than successful nan men's game.

Captains do their champion to protect nan boundaries, usually pinch fielders heavy successful nan limb broadside fixed astir batters people target mid-wicket, truthful by switching Litchfield tin deed towards a portion of nan crushed that usually lacks protection.

"That is beautiful overmuch wherever my reasoning is," Litchfield says.

"That 5th spread - I americium trying to scope it whether it is, near aliases right-handed. I backmost myself."

The move deed is, of course, thing new.

Kevin Pietersen famously deed nan awesome Muttiah Muralitharan for six successful 2006 to bring nan changeable into nan mainstream. Others opportunity it was played overmuch earlier than that.

David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, Litchfield's chap Australians, person been masters of it successful nan modern game.

What makes Litchfield unique, however, is her variety.

While nan mostly of her runs pinch nan changeable person travel betwixt 3rd man and other cover, arsenic is nan norm, 10% person travel successful 'the V' backmost down nan ground.

No subordinate - man aliases female - tin lucifer that.

One stunning consecutive 4 backmost complete nan caput of left-arm wrist-spinner Millie Taylor to seal a triumph against Birmingham Phoenix earlier successful The Hundred was nan cleanable example.

"I practise it a batch successful nan nets," Litchfield says.

"The believe was beautiful overmuch - OK, an [off-spinner] comes to vessel astatine me, and I'm going to effort to move deed you each ball. Work retired what useful and activity retired what doesn't.

"I person dropped nan bat a fewer times. I person sewage nan grip incorrect a fewer times."

Litchfield admits it is simply a changeable that is wholly premeditated.

Having made up her mind, she often makes her first move earlier nan bowler has delivered nan shot and past clears her near limb to springiness her arsenic overmuch entree to nan shot arsenic possible.

In nan Women's Ashes astatine nan Sydney Cricket Ground successful January, Litchfield smashed England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn for six complete other screen pinch her move hit.

When she plays nan shot, Litchfield averages 47.0 astatine a onslaught complaint of 195. No batter pinch much than 100 runs from move hits has a onslaught complaint higher than Litchfield's.

She has carried that shape into The Hundred by striking fours pinch ultimate regularity, and occasionally knocking singles.

On Saturday came nan rarest of incidents - a top-edged move deed and consequent dismissal.

"It tin get maine successful problem if I person picked nan incorrect ball," she says.

"The biggest point I person learned is to cognize really to bail retired if it is simply a bully ball, conscionable to artifact it.

"I astir apt could person done that [on Saturday] successful hindsight, but hindsight is location for a reason.

"It is important to cognize really to get disconnected onslaught if nan shot isn't successful your zone."

Northern Superchargers look London Spirit successful The Hundred women's Eliminator astatine The Kia Oval astatine 14:15 BST connected Saturday, pinch unrecorded matter and power sum connected BBC Sport.