Litchfield sets new record with matchwinning half-century

Remember the name. Phoebe Litchfield followed her impressive WBBL debut with a matchwinning performance two days later, becoming the youngest player to score a fifty in the WBBL, as the Sydney Thunder bounced back from their opening defeat with a seven-wicket victory against defending champions the Brisbane Heat.

It was a case of youth and experience combining for the Thunder as 16-year-old Litchfield again joined forces with Alex Blackwell in a match-defining stand of 97 in 12 overs to follow their 68-run partnership in the defeat to the Sydney Sixers.

They had come together with the chase wobbling on 3 for 52 after three wickets had fallen for eight runs. In the early stages of the stand the required rate pushed towards ten an over, but Blackwell kept Litchfield calm and a brace of late cuts broke the shackles.

Each time the Heat started to squeeze again Litchfield or Blackwell were able to find a boundary. Litchfield's half-century came from 47 balls in what became the final over of the match with Blackwell securing victory with a six.

Litchfield will be back at school on Monday - and was heading back to Orange, about 250km west of Sydney, with her family straight after the match - following a weekend where she has been put on the global stage.

"Alex was just saying keep calm because I was getting a bit nervous and I put us in a bad position but managed to get us out of there," Litchfield told ESPNcricinfo. "I can't believe the weekend, I didn't know I was playing and I'm just really happy to be here."

The Thunder had been poor against the Sixers on opening night, but were far sharper all-round in this display. The Heat again made a positive start in the powerplay but lost their way after Beth Mooney was bowled sweeping at Samantha Bates who later struck twice in the 11th over to claim 3 for 33.

Grace Harris launched her first ball for six but was run out after facing her next delivery after trying to run around Hannah Darlington who collected the ball in her follow through. Laura Harris couldn't produce repeat of her powerful display against the Sixers, picking out mid-on after managing one boundary and it needed Jess Jonassen's 41 to help the Heat scramble to 150