Channelling Viv and Lara – could Perrin ‘dominate’ after record century?

The Oval audience was slack in the air.

The lengthy, enthusiastic ovation demonstrated that they had witnessed something special.

A delicate late cut and a few moments prior to the gap’s completion completed Davina Perrin’s astonishing century.

She knew she was about to reach a remarkable feat, as it turned out, but Perrin maintained the calm and control she had displayed throughout the entire innings.

Given that she is only nine days shy of turning 19 this year, Perrin’s knock of 101 from 43 balls, which included 15 fours and five sixes, is all the more impressive.

Make no mistake: this was a magnificent innings, not just one for teenagers. Stop completely.

However, the fact that it was a teenager’s choice to lead her team to a Lord’s final in a knockout game makes it even more thrilling.

In response to the sharp decline of black British players in the professional game, Perrin has entered the ACE program, which was founded by ex-english professional footballer Ebony Rainford-Brent in 2020.

Five years later, Perrin becomes the first black British woman to score a century in a T20 for statistical purposes.

When I first met her, she was 13 years old, Rainford-Brent told BBC Sport. We immediately went for a net once the lockdown was lifted.

When the bowling machine came out, I instructed her to strike through the cover, over the top of the cover, and finally down the ground.

She immediately hit it with strength and precision, and she was flawless. At age 13, I was immediately aware of her uniqueness after she completed a full 360 game.

At The Oval, she demonstrated her versatility by starting with a drive through the covers before effortlessly flicking the ball over the square leg for six a few balls later.

With West Indies legends Sir Viv Richards and Brian Lara serving as inspirations, it should come as no surprise that Perrin’s game has a flamboyance – “a good swagger,” says Rainford-Brent.

“I adore Sir Viv’s flair. I adore Brian Lara’s ability to run and score well, and he was eager to do so. All I’m really thinking about is that,” Perrin told Sky Sports.

Since I was six or seven years old, I’ve been watching my father’s YouTube videos ever since he first started showing them up.

Perrin hopes to be able to provide something similar to what is offered to the younger generation.

Because we are a minority, she told BBC Sport, “I’m extra proud of what I’ve done in these situations.”

“I’m hoping now that I’ve set a bit of a platform so more young black girls – and boys, of course – can see they can do it too,” says one woman who doesn’t play black in the professional game.

The fastest women’s T20 century by an English woman is a 42-ball hundred, which is also the fastest by an English woman in a major league or full-member T20 international.

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn described it as “the cleanest of striking and the clarity of mind.”

England is likely to become interested in that combination right away.

The explosive hitting Perrin can provide, especially on the T20 side, is crying out for Charlotte Edwards’ side.

Although her century was breathtaking, she is still far from the finished article, so there is a need for some restraint.

In her subsequent six innings, scores of 13, 14, 10, four, three, and five followed an unbeaten 72 from The Hundred’s previous 40th.

When she is on song, Perrin is impervious to consistency, which is a sight to behold.

She told BBC Sport, “I’m looking to build on that with more experience.”

The Superchargers opener struggled to impose herself when the opposition bowlers hit their straps early during that run of low scores.

Good luck if you let her leave for a flyer. Working her way into an innings is still a process that needs to be improved for the time being.

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t see England caps in her future, so why throw Perrin straight into international cricket might not be wise.

It’s ridiculous because she has such talent, according to Rainford-Brent.

“It’s intriguing to watch her transition to the England side because the future is so bright for her.”

Rainford-Brent suggests that you need look no further than your current Superchargers team-mate and potential Ashes rival to see what kind of impact Perrin might have.

“I have always been a big fan of Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield.” We’ve seen how dominant she has been of women’s cricket recently, and Davina will follow her, she said.