'Mummy hundred' gives Wyatt-Hodge her deserved day in the sun

Batting in the middle has always been Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s happy place.

“I like it when I play cricket. I don’t have to think,” the England opener once said.

Time to forget the world. Time to feel bat on ball.

But things are different these days.

“I was on about 90 and I thought I have to get a hundred for Daisy,” Wyatt-Hodge said, after her stunning 105 not out against Sri Lanka on the opening night of the T20 World Cup.

“I did it for my three-week-old daughter.”

The past weeks have been different for this entire England squad, given the size of a home World Cup.

For Wyatt-Hodge, though, it has been different level.

Her first child born on 20 May. Back strapping on her pads 10 days later. Now a thrilling century in a tournament curtain-raiser.

“Playing in a home World Cup like that and then having the joy of seeing your wife and daughter the next day – that’s what dreams are made of,” she said.

Wyatt-Hodge celebrated three figures, a knock that put England on their way to a statement opening win, by rocking her bat in her arms.

Back at home, her wife Georgie was watching on TV – perhaps Daisy too.

Last together on Sunday, the trio will be reunited on Saturday when the team heads to Southampton.

“I’ve not seen her for six days and it feels like six months,” she said. “It is all I think about, even in the night.”

Wyatt-Hodge always been one of England’s most fascinating cricketers. She jokes and smiles, but that should never be confused with anything but fierce determination.

As a cricketer, she as resilient as they come.

Wyatt-Hodge made her debut in the same Mumbai ODI as Heather Knight and the pair are now the longest-serving members of this England set-up.

From the World Cup win at Lord’s in 2017 to last year’s Ashes drubbing down under. Together they have witnessed it all.

But while Knight was front and centre nine years ago as captain, Wyatt-Hodge was a bit-part player. She played five matches before others returned from injury for the trophy tilt.

Now, at 35, there is still time for this career’s defining chapter.

While Wyatt-Hodge took her parental leave, debate bubbled about who would be England’s openers when the big time came in this tournament.

Sophia Dunkley’s form faltered and Amy Jones was promoted. The one certainty, despite her absence, was always England’s diminutive right-hander.

Bleary-eyed from the sleepless nights, she made 29 when she did return against India last month in Bristol. Three single-figure scores followed but again England did not waver.

“Some people just need a bit of pressure and a bit of ‘something’ on a game,” said another former team-mate Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who watched on from the commentary box.

“This is exactly the sort of environment she needs.

“As a cricketer you can thrive or you can go within yourself, and she thrives with situations like these.

“Don’t be surprised if she is the highest run-scorer of this tournament now.”

It was also fitting that when Wyatt-Hodge reached three figures, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was at the other end.

Like Wyatt-Hodge she is a cricketer and mum. Like Wyatt-Hodge she rocked her bat to celebrate reaching three figures at last year’s 50-over World Cup.

Coincidentally both tons were against the same opposition.

“It was really nice to have her in the middle to celebrate that hundred – two mummies,” Wyatt-Hodge said.

“I got a bit nervous at the end when the crowd was cheering me on. Nat said just take a breath and time it. I was really determined.”

As Wyatt-Hodge took the crowd’s acclaim and left the field, it was the jettisoned Dunkley who met her first by the boundary edge.

There is a togetherness building in this squad and Wyatt-Hodge is one of its most popular members.

“It was pretty emotional. A few of the girls said they had a few tears,” she said of those moments returning to the dressing room.

It was Graham Gooch who coined the phrase ‘Daddy Hundred’. This was one of the mummy variety.

After everything, few are more deserving of this moment in the sun than Wyatt-Hodge.