# Chapter 10: Women's Cricket

Cricket · Chapter 10: Women's Cricket · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/cricket/interesting-facts/chapter-10-womens-cricket/)

Women's cricket beyond the record books: pioneers, the first Tests, early stars, two-sport players, the game worldwide, officials, captains, families, firsts and the Women's Ashes.

## 10.101 Pioneers

Women's cricket before the Tests: the first clubs and touring teams.

### Test 1: The early women's game

- As Lucy Baldwin she stayed a keen supporter of the women's game. (Source: MCC Museum; ESPNcricinfo, women's cricket history)
- Playing in public was thought unseemly, so they hid their identities. (Source: MCC Museum; ESPNcricinfo, the Original English Lady Cricketers)
- The tour had drawn big crowds before the money vanished. (Source: MCC Museum; ESPNcricinfo, the Original English Lady Cricketers)
- Their outfits were in the fashion of the day. (Source: MCC Museum collection)
- It was a fundraising match. (Source: Cricket Australia, women's cricket history)
- It brought the state associations together. (Source: Cricket Australia, women's cricket history)
- Her team played at Oyster Cove, south of Hobart. (Source: Cricket Tasmania; Australian Dictionary of Biography)
- 1874, 1887, 1890 and 1931. (Source: ESPNcricinfo; Cricket Australia)
- The venture lasted barely two seasons. (Source: MCC Museum; ESPNcricinfo)
- It began at Nun Appleton Hall, near York. (Source: MCC Museum; ESPNcricinfo, women's cricket history)

## 10.102 The First Women's Tests

The 1934-35 tour that began women's Test cricket, and the players who made it.

### Test 1: 1934-35

- She was a lawyer who later became a headmistress in Sydney. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Betty Archdale profile)
- She led Abbotsleigh school for many years. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Betty Archdale profile)
- England won by nine wickets. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Australia Women v England Women, Brisbane 1934)
- She had helped found the women's game in New South Wales. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Margaret Peden profile)
- Each paid around 80 pounds towards the cost. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, England Women in Australia 1934-35)
- England won heavily at Lancaster Park. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, New Zealand Women v England Women, 1935)
- The third Test was drawn. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, England Women in Australia 1934-35)
- December 1934, January 1935, February 1935 and 1937. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's Test records)
- The trip lasted several months. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, England Women in Australia 1934-35)
- Maclagan, an opener and off-spinner, starred with bat and ball on the tour. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Myrtle Maclagan profile)

## 10.103 Stars of the Early Era

The great players of women's Tests from the 1930s to the 1990s.

### Test 1: Early stars

- She played Tests from 1948 to 1958. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Betty Wilson profile)
- Australia were bowled out for 38. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Australia Women v England Women, St Kilda 1958)
- She went on to captain England for many years. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Rachael Heyhoe Flint profile)
- She is the second woman to make a hundred and take ten wickets in a Test. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Enid Bakewell profile)
- India's women played their first Test in 1976. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Shantha Rangaswamy profile)
- The left-arm spinner took them against England at Jamshedpur. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's Test records, best figures)
- She was called 'the girl Grimmett'. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Peggy Antonio profile)
- 1958, 1963, 1977, 1979 and 1995. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's Test records)
- 1934, 1935, 1960 and 1976. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's Test records)
- She also took the first hat-trick in women's Tests in that match. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Betty Wilson profile)

## 10.104 Double Talents

Women who played two sports for their countries, and a tennis star who tried cricket.

### Test 1: Two-sport stars

- She played at the 2011 football World Cup. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Ellyse Perry profile; Football Australia)
- She chose cricket afterwards and became one of its great openers. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Suzie Bates profile)
- She played hockey for the Black Sticks before focusing on cricket. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Sophie Devine profile)
- She kept goal for England in 1964. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Rachael Heyhoe Flint profile)
- She returned to tennis and won three Grand Slam titles. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Ashleigh Barty profile)
- She studied Bharatanatyam for years. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Mithali Raj profile)
- She moved to Australia and played in the WBBL first. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Kim Garth profile)
- 1964, 2008, 2011 and 2015-16. (Source: ESPNcricinfo)
- 1939, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1996. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, profiles)
- She scored in a World Cup quarter-final in 2011. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Ellyse Perry profile)

## 10.105 The Game Worldwide

Women's cricket in Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, Bangladesh and beyond.

### Test 1: Women's cricket around the world

- Brazil's board chose to put its money into the women's team. (Source: Cricket Brasil; ICC)
- The tournament was held in Australia. (Source: ICC, Women's T20 World Cup 2020)
- She took them against Mongolia in Bali. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, T20I records, best figures)
- The final was played in Kuala Lumpur. (Source: Asian Cricket Council, Women's Asia Cup 2018)
- They qualified for the T20 World Cup held in the UAE. (Source: ICC, Women's T20 World Cup 2024)
- The men's team are the Barramundis. (Source: Cricket PNG)
- It was their only women's Test. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Ireland Women v Pakistan Women, Dublin 2000)
- 2000, 2018, 2022 and 2024. (Source: ESPNcricinfo; ICC)
- From South America across to South-East Asia. (Source: Atlas)
- Two Argentine openers made big hundreds in it. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Argentina Women v Chile Women, Buenos Aires 2022)

## 10.106 Officials and Leaders

Women who broke into umpiring, refereeing and running the game.

### Test 1: Officials

- The match was in a World Cricket League event in Windhoek. (Source: ICC; Cricket Australia, Claire Polosak)
- The Test was Australia against India at the SCG. (Source: Cricket Australia, Claire Polosak)
- She was a former Indian domestic player. (Source: ICC, G. S. Lakshmi)
- The tournament was held in South Africa. (Source: ICC, Women's T20 World Cup 2023 officials)
- MCC had admitted its first women members in 1999. (Source: Lord's (lords.org), MCC Presidents)
- It was England's first Ashes win in 42 years. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Clare Connor profile)
- She sat as Baroness Heyhoe Flint. (Source: UK Parliament, Baroness Heyhoe Flint)
- April 2019, December 2019, January 2021 and October 2021. (Source: ICC; MCC)
- 1998, 1999 and 2021. (Source: Lord's (lords.org))
- The New Zealander stood in New Zealand against Sri Lanka at Dunedin. (Source: New Zealand Cricket; ICC)

## 10.107 Captains

The captains who shaped the women's game, and one innings that changed it in India.

### Test 1: Leaders

- Four T20 World Cups and one ODI World Cup. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Meg Lanning profile)
- She made 104 against England in Perth. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Meg Lanning profile)
- They beat Australia in the final at Kolkata. (Source: ICC, Women's World T20 2016)
- India lost both, to Australia and to England. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Mithali Raj profile)
- The off-spinner captained Pakistan for eight years. (Source: ICC rankings; ESPNcricinfo, Sana Mir profile)
- The Supreme Court named a committee of administrators to run Indian cricket. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Diana Edulji profile)
- She later held senior posts at Cricket Australia. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Belinda Clark profile)
- 2005, 2016, 2018 and 2023. (Source: ESPNcricinfo; ICC)
- 2014, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023. (Source: ICC)
- Her 171 not out came off 115 balls and took India to the final. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, India Women v Australia Women, Derby 2017)

## 10.108 Families and Partners

Cricketing couples, sisters and three generations of players.

### Test 1: Families

- Like her uncle, she keeps wicket for Australia. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Alyssa Healy profile)
- She now plays as Nat Sciver-Brunt. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Nat Sciver-Brunt profile)
- Van Niekerk captained South Africa. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Marizanne Kapp profile)
- He opened the batting in the late 1960s. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Bruce Murray profile)
- Jess is a seam bowler; Amelia bowls leg-spin. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Jess Kerr profile)
- Satterthwaite captained New Zealand. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Amy Satterthwaite profile)
- Both have won World Cups for Australia. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Mitchell Starc profile)
- 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022. (Source: ESPNcricinfo)
- 1940, 1964, 1990 and 2000. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, profiles)
- They married in 2016. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Alyssa Healy profile)

## 10.109 Barriers and Firsts

Firsts for women in English cricket, the youngest internationals and record innings.

### Test 1: Firsts

- She later became a leading broadcaster. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Ebony Rainford-Brent profile)
- She commentates on cricket around the world. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Isa Guha profile)
- She is the youngest player in international cricket. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's records, youngest players)
- Kiran Baluch passed it two years later. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Mithali Raj profile)
- She became the youngest Indian to score an international fifty. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Shafali Verma profile)
- She was born in Pune and grew up in Sydney. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Lisa Sthalekar profile)
- It was one of the great innings in a losing cause. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Australia Women v Sri Lanka Women, Bristol 2017)
- 2000, 2001, 2002, 2015 and 2019. (Source: ESPNcricinfo)
- 12, 15 and 16. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, profiles)
- She kept for Northern Districts in Adelaide. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Sarah Taylor profile)

## 10.110 The Women's Ashes and Rivalries

England against Australia and New Zealand against Australia, from 1937 to the MCG.

### Test 1: Rivalries

- It was signed by both teams before being burned. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, the Women's Ashes trophy)
- It has been contested since 1985. (Source: New Zealand Cricket; Cricket Australia)
- Australia won by 31 runs. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, England Women v Australia Women, Northampton 1937)
- It was the highest score in a women's Ashes Test. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Australia Women v England Women, North Sydney 2017)
- It was the first women's Test at the MCG since 1949. (Source: Cricket Australia, Women's Ashes 2025)
- She took 10 for 192, but Australia won by 89 runs. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, England Women v Australia Women, Trent Bridge 2023)
- Healy, the vice-captain, led the side through the multi-format series. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Women's Ashes 2023)
- 1937, 1985, 1998, 2017, 2023 and 2025. (Source: ESPNcricinfo)
- 119, 137, 213 and 242. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, women's Test records)
- Both teams signed the bat before it was burned. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, the Women's Ashes trophy)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: ESPNcricinfo, the ICC, MCC, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket, UK Parliament. The women's World Cups, the WPL and WBBL, pay parity and the all-time records are asked in Knowledge Testing and left out here.

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