Kent Women’s Alice Davidson-Richards admits it was "really, really special" to hit her maiden Test century alongside former school-mate Nat Sciver.

Tunbridge Wells-born debutant Davidson-Richards made 107 on Tuesday before falling to the final ball of the day while Sciver made an unbeaten 119, as England recovered from 121-5 to 328-6 against South Africa - a lead of 44 at Taunton.

The pair played together between 2007 and 2011 at Epsom College in Surrey.

"It meant a lot having Nat there," all-rounder Davidson-Richards said.

"From driving up to Loughborough together, however many years ago, to playing in a Test match together was really, really special."

When asked what it had felt like to bring up her maiden Test ton, 28-year-old Davidson-Richards replied: “Bloody brilliant!”

Davidson-Richards had to wait before making her Test debut but insisted she had never given up faith.

Having also taken a first-innings wicket, she said: “I don’t think completely. I have always kind of had a deep-rooted faith in how good I could be. It was just knowing how to get there.

"Everything that has happened before has allowed me to get here so I’m absolutely fine with everything that’s happened before because it’s made me the player that I am now and the person that I am now.

“It stopped being [at the] forefront of my mind and ended up being, if I can be the best player I can be and doing well for the South East Stars and doing it that way, then everything else on top of it is a plus.”

Davidson-Richards also says she has become more focused on team achievements, rather than personal ones, as she has matured in recent years.

“I think I’m a lot nicer to myself to be honest,” she commented. “I put a lot less on myself, doing well all the time.

“It’s more a well-rounded approach to it - ‘How can I help the team?’ rather than ‘Have I done well or have I not done well?’ I think that’s something that really brings out the best in me.

“That enjoyment side is a big factor for me [as well], so it’s those sorts of things that really help.”

Davidson-Richards becomes the first England player since WG Grace to score a hundred and take a wicket on Test debut.