Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield wants her teammates to “unleash the shackles” and banish the memories of last year’s shock T20 World Cup exit as the Women’s Ashes moves into the 20-over leg.
It comes as the rising star backed West Australian leg-spinner Alana King to have a huge say on the series if selected in the final XI to face England at the SCG on Monday.
The star-studded Australians haven’t taken to the field for a T20 since being bundled out of the World Cup by rank underdogs South Africa in the semifinal.
However, the Aussies enter the three T20s leading the Ashes 6-0 after sweeping the three-match ODI series and can take complete confidence from a number of their stars, including Ash Gardner, Megan Schutt and King, having produced match-winning performances.
They are also just one win away from retaining the all-important Ashes urn, with England now needing to snare every T20 and the series-closing Test match to deny them.
But Litchfield said the hosts weren’t taking anything for granted.
“I’m pretty excited for our team to unleash the shackles,” she said on Sunday.
“But T20 cricket is so fickle. The way England plays is very attacking, and I think they will probably take the game on as well as any side in the world.
“We’ll definitely not take them lightly, that’s for sure. We know how dangerous they are.”
Surprisingly, King didn’t play a single game in the T20 World Cup despite the spin-friendly United Arab Emirates conditions, but after claiming 11 scalps at 9.63, including her maiden five-wicket haul, in the ODI series, the West Aussie will be at the front of selectors’ minds.
“I think she’d make a massive impact, but equally, you saw Georgia Wareham impact the game she came in. So, it’s tough,” Litchfield said.
“Those two have been bowling amazingly in T20 cricket for long periods of time, and Georgia Wareham’s probably had the luck of the green being selected.
“But they both offer so much individually you’d love to put them both in the side. Unfortunately, there’s probably not much room.”
Litchfield also put to bed any chances of her moving out of the middle order.
“I really enjoy it in the middle order, and you look at the likes of Ellyse Perry, Talia McGrath, and Ash Gardner; they’re striking the ball really well at the moment and probably better than I am,” she said.
“So, I have full trust in them.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/womens-ashes-australias-phoebe-litchfield-urges-teammates-to-unleash-the-shackles-in-t20-series-c-17436747
