England’s young batting star Davina Perrin has said that a simple piece of advice from former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor helped her regain confidence after returning from injury during The Hundred Women’s Competition 2026. Perrin made an impressive comeback for Birmingham Phoenix Women by scoring a fighting half-century against Southern Brave Women. Although her team lost the match, the 19-year-old said Taylor’s words reminded her to trust her own game instead of worrying about reaching the level she was at before getting injured.
Perrin scored 52 runs from 43 balls in Birmingham Phoenix’s 24-run defeat to Southern Brave on Thursday. It was only her second match after spending almost a month away from cricket because of injury. She hit five boundaries and looked comfortable throughout her innings. She also had some luck during the knock after being dropped three times before finally being caught by Maia Bouchier off the bowling of Sarah Glenn. Even though Phoenix could not win, Perrin’s innings was a positive sign as she continued her return to full fitness.
Speaking after the game, Perrin admitted that this was the first serious injury of her career and said it had taught her many valuable lessons. “It’s my first proper injury so there’s so much learnings from it and that’s the big thing for me, looking at what I can learn from the experience.”
The young batter explained that she wanted to learn as much as possible during her recovery instead of becoming frustrated. She also looked for advice from experienced people who had gone through similar situations. One of those people was former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, whose guidance made a big difference before Perrin returned to competitive cricket.
“Seeking advice where I could as well – I managed to grab a few minutes out of Sarah Taylor, and she gave me a really good bit of advice.”
Taylor encouraged Perrin not to compare herself with the player she was before the injury and instead focus on enjoying her cricket again. Perrin said those words stayed in her mind and helped her play freely when she returned.
“I wasn’t feeling great and she just said ‘don’t try and be the player that you were before, be the player that you are now’ and that really stuck with me – a reminder to be fearless, you’ve got the shots. That definitely helped today.”
Perrin became one of England’s most exciting young players during the 2025 season when she hit the fastest century in the history of The Hundred Women’s Competition. Playing for Northern Superchargers, she smashed 101 from only 43 balls in the eliminator. That outstanding innings brought her into the spotlight and made many people believe she could become an England regular in the near future.
Her performances also earned her a contract with Melbourne Renegades in the Women’s Big Bash League. However, that competition was much tougher for the young batter. She was dismissed for a golden duck on her debut and finished the tournament with an average of 9.60 from five matches. Even though the numbers were disappointing, Perrin treated the experience as another important step in her development.
Before the 2026 season, Birmingham Phoenix signed Perrin for £50,000 after she spent the previous two seasons with Northern Superchargers. She also enjoyed an excellent Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign for Warwickshire, averaging 40.50 in seven matches before injury stopped her progress and limited her appearances in the Vitality Blast.
Perrin said she often thinks about her record-breaking century because it reminds her what she can achieve. “I think for me it was remembering you utilise that as a token of what you can do and what you’re capable of.”
She knows that every batter has difficult days, but believes those special innings give confidence during challenging times.
“Doesn’t mean I’m going to do it every day, you fail more than you succeed in cricket. When you have an innings like that behind you, it’s also a nice gentle reminder that you’re not awful at cricket.”
Looking ahead, Perrin hopes to keep improving and believes her best cricket is still to come. “It’s a sign of my ceiling and I’d love to exceed that someday.”
The talented youngster’s return is good news not only for Birmingham Phoenix but also for England women’s cricket. After recovering well from her injury and showing confidence again at the crease, Perrin will now look to build on this strong comeback. If she continues to learn, stay fearless and make the most of every opportunity, she has the talent to achieve even bigger success in the years ahead.
(Quotes sourced from BBC Sports)
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