Behind the stunning rise of Australian cricket star Phoebe Litchfield

When you think about it like that, it can be a little overwhelming, but when you just go out there to enjoy yourself and express yourself, you kind of forget what's happening. It seems like she is naturally made to do it and looks very comfortable doing it. I enjoy watching her play; she is a breath of fresh air.

When Litchfield made her debut for Australia in late 2022, she looked like she had been playing international cricket for years. In a sense this was true, the fights with Charles were as intense as all the other backyard stories that led to the wide green.

Sometimes me and my brother would play little test matches. He was six years older than me, so he would flog me and I would be bowling all day, and then probably hit five balls and get me out, Litchfield said.

I literally played every sport on that tennis court. Our father built a cricket field in the corner, so we played cricket on that field for hours. I was definitely so lucky to have that because I think my skills were just accelerated by the amount of cricket I played there.

We would watch the Test in the morning and then come out for the lunch break and try to bat like Ricky Ponting or Michael Clarke.

Of course, fun will never be present during a professional career. Litchfield has had her share of troubles this year, particularly after collecting $182,000 auction money for the women's IPL, where she played for Gujarat Giants, but finished well behind Lanning and Ellyse Perry in the tournament aggregates.

At the World Cup, provided Litchfield shakes off a groin problem, she will play a crucial role in the middle for the Australians, either capitalizing on a strong start or recovering from a bad one. Those setbacks in India will provide useful lessons in both technique and mentality.

It was a challenge, Litchfield said. At the end of a long season and I probably hadn't scored as many runs as I wanted in the Australian summer, and when you go there with the price tag on you, you feel a bit of pressure from outside, and to not score runs in that tournament it was also a bit difficult at times.

I recently asked Pez, Do you still enjoy training?, because she has been training for so long and is one of the hardest workers, and she still loves it. And I say, okay, even though you play this game all year long and the schedule has gotten so crazy, it's the love for the game that gets you through it.

I always think I could have a nine-to-five job and I think, wow, I'm so lucky to be able to travel the world and play cricket. Even though it's so full these days, it's the life I dreamed of, so I can't complain.

Lanning knows a thing or two about finding the right balance in the game, having found herself in leadership positions when she was Litchfield's age. She advised against pushing too hard and too fast.

Just trying not to overexert yourself early is important, Lanning said. Make sure you're ready to compete in the big games and tournaments, and try to continue to enjoy the game as much as possible and not take it too seriously too soon.

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Sometimes it seemed like she put a lot of pressure on herself to always perform well and have very high expectations. It is important to maintain that perspective.

The one thing I've always thought about Pheebs is that she is respectful, but also confident. She came into the team not like she knew everything and wanted to take over, but at the same time she didn't seem discouraged, and I really like that about her.

To that end, Litchfield has one eye outside the game, studying media production and setting a goal to one day make sports documentaries. By the way, that's another part of her Oranje days: sitting at home between high school classes and watching the first season The test.

The test The documentary was great, I loved the way they showed me still in school and watching it on the TV at home, she said. Drive to survive And The last dance are probably my other favorites. Love watching that one and also the Tillies. I'm actually a bit of a fan of all sports.

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This is also a hallmark of Litchfield's youth. In the eyes of young fans on the edge of the border, she still sees something from the not-so-distant past of the high school student at the Orange Civic Theater with dreams of bigger stages.

Even when I'm signing autographs after the game, I'm like, Oh my God, I was literally you not that long ago, she said. Just a pinch-me moment.

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