Phoebe Litchfield was in the middle of a university lecture at UTS when her phone rang, sheepishly excusing herself after national selector Shawn Flegler‘s name popped up on the screen.
The 19-year-old was informed she had been picked for the upcoming Ashes series in England, joining a 15-player squad that will compete to retain the trophy for a fifth-consecutive series this winter.
Australia made one change to its triumphant T20 World Cup squad from last month‘s tournament in South Africa, with Litchfield replacing seamer Heather Graham, who was instead named in an Australia A outfit that will face England A in June.
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Litchfield, who grew up in regional New South Wales, is one step closer towards earning a coveted baggy green, having already made her Australian debut in the white-ball formats.
After playing a couple of T20Is in India last December, she scored back-to-back unbeaten fifties against Pakistan in January, becoming the eighth Australian woman to score a half-century on ODI debut, but comfortably the youngest.
Like several of her Australian teammates, Litchfield had not been exposed to five-day cricket before making her international debut. The teenager has also never played cricket in England, with the swinging Duke ball presenting a unique challenge to the left-hander.
“I haven‘t played much four or five-day cricket, well, ever,” Litchfield confessed.
“I obviously know there are people who are better suited in that Aussie squad, but I’m pretty keen to test myself in that area.”
Despite her lack of red-ball experience, Flegler is confident that Litchfield’s batting technique will ensure she can be successful in all three formats.
“We think that she‘s going to be an all-format player for Australia,” Flegler told reporters on Wednesday morning.
“She‘s certainly someone that we’ve talked about who can bat anywhere in the order, whether that’s opening or in the middle order.
“We definitely think she‘s got a great opportunity to put her hand up for selection as the Test match draws closer.
“Her game‘s built upon a very sound technique. We’re confident she can transfer those skills across to all three formats. It’s always a bit of an unknown having not played one, but we think she can do it.”
The Australian squad will undergo a couple of training camps and warm-up matches ahead of the England tour, allowing Litchfield an opportunity to prepare for the unknown and refine her craft.
“It‘ll be a good challenge. I’m just keen to get out there and face the Duke,” Litchfield said.
“I can thank my dad for the technique. It’s a solid enough technique – not to toot my own horn or anything, but I feel like it’s probably a point of difference.
“A lot of women are trained to be T20 players these days, and the technique isn‘t always there, so that’s something that I try to keep with me.
“I don‘t know if I’ll get a bat (in England), but I’ll try to prepare myself as much as possible and give the selectors some questions.”
The Australian starting XI is packed with experience and world-class talent, and Litchfield acknowledges she might have to bide her time carrying the drinks before her next match in canary yellow.
“I always thought I was a chance (for the Ashes squad), but I didn‘t really think it was my time yet,” she said.
“Breaking into that top-order is really difficult, and I guess the opportunities that I‘ve had have come through injuries.
“You can‘t go past experience.”
Litchfield scored her maiden Women‘s National Cricket League century earlier this season, a classy 107 (105) against Western Australia at the picturesque North Sydney Oval. She finished the WNCL with 399 runs at 49.87, contributing her recent success to long hours in the gym and her mental resilience.
“Mentally, I‘ve been able to put innings together, not just getting starts and getting out, actually put the head down and knowing how to make a big score and contribute,” Litchfield explained.
“Everyone growing up dreams of the Baggy Green, so if I got the nod for that, it would be pretty cool, but not expected.”
Elsewhere, young quick Tayla Vlaeminck has been named in the Australia A squad following a lengthy stint on the sidelines with injury, while Sydney Sixers seamer Lauren Cheatle also earned a long-awaited call-up.
Tasmanian all-rounder Nicola Carey made herself unavailable for selection while risking stars Georgia Voll and Hannah Darlington missed out.
Australia‘s Ashes squad
Meg Lanning (c), Alyssa Healy (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
Australia A Squad
Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Heather Graham, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Charli Knott, Kate Peterson, Courtney Sippel, Tayla Vlaeminck, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Tahlia Wilson
Women‘s Ashes Fixtures
Test – June 22-26 at Trent Bridge
First T20I – July 1 at Edgbaston
Second T20I – July 5 at The Oval
Third T20I – July 8 at Lord‘s
First ODI – July 12 at The County Ground, Bristol
Second ODI – July 16 at The Rose Bowl
Third ODI – July 18 at The County Ground, Taunton