Phoebe Litchfield and the Art of the 'Litch Switch'
Phoebe Litchfield has quickly become one of the most fascinating players to watch in women’s cricket, and much of that reputation comes down to her trademark shot: the switch hit. Fans and pundits alike have even given it a special name — the “Litch switch.” At just 22 years old, she has already developed a style that sets her apart from almost everyone else in the game.
Her confidence with the shot may not be a coincidence. Litchfield has credited her days as a youth hockey player in Australia for helping her master the movement. The mechanics of flipping her stance, rotating her grip, and executing the stroke feel natural to her, much like swinging a hockey stick. And it has paid off — she currently scores more runs with the switch hit than any other player in the women’s game, something that has been on full display during this year’s Hundred competition for the Northern Superchargers.
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The logic behind it is straightforward. In women’s T20 cricket, only four fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle after the powerplay, which is one fewer than in the men’s game. Captains tend to protect the leg side, where most batters target mid-wicket. By switching to the opposite stance, Litchfield can send the ball into areas of the ground that are usually left exposed. As she puts it herself: “That fifth gap — I am trying to reach it whether it is left or right-handed. I back myself.”
Switch hitting is not new, of course. Kevin Pietersen made headlines with it in 2006, and fellow Australians like David Warner and Glenn Maxwell have become known for it in modern cricket. But what makes Litchfield different is her variety. While most players aim square of the wicket with the shot, about ten percent of her runs come straight back down the ground — an area almost untouched by other batters. One of her most memorable strokes this season came when she drove a left-arm wrist-spinner straight back over the bowler’s head to seal victory against Birmingham Phoenix.
That kind of execution does not come by chance. Litchfield has revealed how much time she spends practicing the shot in the nets, often committing entire sessions to experimenting with it. She admits it is a premeditated stroke — her first movements are often made before the ball is released, and she clears her left leg to give herself maximum access. Sometimes it goes wrong, as she acknowledges with a smile, but more often than not the results are stunning.
The numbers back it up. When Litchfield plays the switch hit, she averages 47 with a strike rate close to 200. No other batter, male or female, can boast figures like that with the shot. Of course, it does carry risks. In her most recent match she was dismissed attempting one, a reminder that boldness in cricket is never without danger. But that is exactly what makes her such a thrilling player — she is willing to take risks, trust her instincts, and put her stamp on the game.
This weekend, as the Northern Superchargers face London Spirit in The Hundred’s eliminator, all eyes will once again be on the young Australian. And if the moment is right, don’t be surprised if the “Litch switch” makes another appearance — it has already become one of the most talked-about shots in cricket today.
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