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ABC News
15 minutes ago
- ABC News
Phoebe Litchfield's blistering knock sees Superchargers down Ellyse Perry's Phoenix in the Hundred
Phoebe Litchfield has had a pretty subdued 2025 for such a brilliant young batting talent — but the young Australian has at last illuminated the Hundred most brilliantly with her match-winning knock for the league-leading Northern Superchargers. The gifted 22-year-old left-hander had not made a half-century all year, playing innings that had never delivered quite as much as they promised. Yet she put all that right on Friday on a lovely Headingley track, unfurling the full panoply of her extravagant stroke play to power the Leeds-based Superchargers to an eight-wicket win over Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix with one of the best unbeaten fifties seen in this edition of the competition. Supported by admiring Aussie teammate Annabel Sutherland, the pair put on a two-run-per-ball stand of 58 with Litchfield the dominant partner. She raced to her second 50 in the competition — the other came back in 2023 — off just 25 balls, and finished unbeaten on 59, smashing the winning runs with an extravagant switch-hit four straight back over bowler Millie Taylor's head that seemed to embody her irrepressible talent. It was her 11th boundary off the 28th ball she faced and eased the Superchargers past the Phoenix's woefully under-par 6-116 with 26 balls remaining. At the other end, Sutherland finished unbeaten on 20 off 13 as the two Australians ended up sealing the most miserable of days for their illustrious compatriot Perry. Perry had earlier won the toss and decided to bat, but that was about as good as it got for the Phoenix's superstar skipper. Fellow Australian Georgia Voll began promisingly enough with four boundaries in her first nine balls, but once she'd been bowled by spinner Linsey Smith for 17, it became a struggle for the visitors, with much reliance on Perry to finally deliver with the bat after her own fairly ordinary start to the campaign. Yet while going well enough on 10 from six balls, Perry was dismissed in luckless fashion when her batting partner Marie Kelly scuffed a straight drive off Sutherland, whose touch diverted the ball onto the stumps with the captain unable to get back into her ground. Lucy Higham (2-21) and Smith (2-18) were key to stifling the Phoenix run flow, while Sutherland did her bit by conceding just 21 off her wicketless 20 balls. But the Superchargers made light work of the chase once the two Australians came together, with Litchfield soon in prime form as she launched a brilliant attack on the bowling of Hannah Baker, cracking her for three straight boundaries, including another spectacular switch-hit through extra-cover. Litchfield played just one false stroke, getting dropped at deep extra-cover by the hapless Baker when on 48. "That was good fun out there," said Litchfield after being presented with the player-of-the-match honours. "We've had this group together for three years now, it hasn't changed much, and the vibes are good. We had a pretty average game last time out, but we tried to park that and came out with a positive mindset." Indeed, after three wins in their first four games, the Superchargers are now leading the eight-team table on 12 points, ahead only of the unbeaten Southern Brave, who have played a game less, and the London Spirit. AAP
Sydney Morning Herald
15 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
The Age
15 minutes ago
- The Age
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
