“It’s Just Me Going out and Playing Expressive Cricket.”

Davina Perrin’s innings against USA at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup was certainly enjoyable to watch, but how was it for the England batter herself?

“It was pretty fun at my end too,” she chuckled, a couple of hours after a blazing knock that put the cricketing world on notice.

The sport’s zeitgeist is positivity: embracing risk and expressing oneself and trying to do so whether in the nets on a Monday morning or in the white heat of a World Cup.

Many are talking the talk, but only some walk the walk and Perrin goes the whole nine yards.

A long way from home in Wolverhampton, the 18-year-old strode to the crease in Johor, Malaysia to chase 120 in England’s third and final Group B match.

“It was a few more than we’d hoped,” said Perrin. “We wanted to be on top more than ever and put on a display similar to the one we did in our previous game against Pakistan but it was a total that we had no concerns chasing.”

What followed was a display of ruthlessness as Perrin laid overcame the American attack, leading her side to an eight-wicket win, their second successive victory.

She was severe on anything short or wide, peeling two fours off Isani Vaghela to get going before lining up Ritu Singh, lofting a gorgeous cover drive for four and smacking the spinner back over her head for six.

Perrin hit the first six of the tournament in England’s opening match against Ireland and cleared the boundary three times in this innings, revealing the role that range hitting plays in her preparation.

“Range hitting was the last thing we did in the session the day before the (USA) game, actually,” she said.

“It gives you good insight into feeling that sweet spot and not trying to overhit it, as well as confidence in knowing you can back yourself. It’s really, really beneficial.”

Perrin was at pains to credit the measured contribution of second-wicket partner Trudy Johnson; the pair seeming to find the perfect balance in a stand worth 117, with Johnson ending unbeaten on 44 from 39 balls.

“Within our team, we’ve spoken about the way we want to go about our cricket and the phrase ‘positive intent’ has been key,” she said.

“It’s also recognising that positive intent can be shown in so many different ways. We all go about our cricket differently and we all have success in doing it.

“It’s about recognising where your strengths lie and playing to those.”

Both well established at the crease, Perrin and Johnson came together for a chat before the 14th over with the target in sight.

“Trudy and I spoke and we both had this sense, we want to take this one down,” said Perrin.

“We look at match-ups but personally, it’s just a feeling I get. We had that sense and we backed it.”

Pooja Shah was hit for 19 runs in that over, with two fours from Johnson and a six and a four from Perrin before the latter holed out for a stunning 74 from 45 deliveries.

“I was probably finding the boundary a bit less when I was 15 years old and playing women’s cricket, struggling to get it off the square,” said Perrin, who hit nine fours and three sixes.

“It’s just me going out and playing expressive cricket. I like to remind myself that even though you might face a few dot balls, you can always catch up.

“The less pressure I put on myself to do that, the more naturally it happens. This is the way I like to play, the way I want to play and it’s more exciting, too.”