Women Cricketers are now fast becoming extremely popular after the rise of women’s cricket. Cricket is fast evolving and not only male cricketers but women cricketers too are shattering records on the field. Women’s cricket has always been appreciated by purists as they possess a skill level which is second to none.
Many will be surprised to know that some great records in cricket are first held by Women cricketers before male cricketers. Many would argue that Women’s cricket is not competitive like the men’s game but one thing is for sure that they have always tried to play an entertaining brand of cricket which is appreciated by everyone.
With the evolution of T20 cricket, Women’s cricket has progressed further and it is just a matter of time before we see them play more matches and shatter several more cricketing records. In this feature, we take a look at the 5 records that were held by Women cricketers before male cricket players.
5 Records created by women cricketers before male cricketers:
1. First individual 200 in ODIs
Not it wasn’t Sachin Tendulkar who scored the first-ever individual 200 in 50 overs cricket. The record is retained by an all-time great women’s cricketer named Belinda Clark. The great Aussie batswomen created history way back in 1997 when she achieved the rare feat of scoring a double century in ODIs.
Clark batted like a dream against Denmark in the Women’s World Cup and smashed an unbeaten 229 in just 155 deliveries.
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2. First 400 team total in ODIs
Staying with the match where Belinda Clark scored 229, another milestone was created for the first time in cricket history. Clark remained unbeaten till the end and helped her side reached a total of 412-3 after the conclusion of 50 overs.
Never before a team had scored 400 in an ODI match and the Australia women’s team did the unthinkable. Since then a lot of teams has gone past 400 in ODIs but the 412 total in 1997 at Mumbai will always remain special. Eventually, the Australian women’s team won the match by 363 days and ended the memorable day.
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3. First 5-Wicket haul In ODI World Cup
Many believe that the legendary fast bowler Dennis Lillee was the first-ever bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in ICC ODI World Cup in 1975. The fact is that he was the first male cricketer to achieve it but the record belongs to Tina Macpherson. The fast bowler of Australia’s women’s team had snaffled five wickets a few years before Lillee against England.
Tina Macpherson in that match gave away just 14 runs in 12 overs and picked 5 wickets. She bowled as many as 7 maiden overs which has still rarely happened in cricket.
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4. First tied ODI match
Who doesn’t love a close ODI match and it becomes even better when the scores are tied after the conclusion of all-overs. This happened for the first time in cricket during a women’s cricket match between New Zealand and England in 1982.
Both the teams made exactly 147 runs in their respective 60 overs Cornwall Park in Auckland. 2 years later that first-ever tied match was played in men’s cricket Australia and West Indies at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
5. First team to win 5 World Cups
Whether it be the men’s or women’s cricket, Australia has always been the most dominant side in cricket. The men’s Australian side created history by winning their 5th ODI world cup at home in 2015. If you think they were the first-ever cricket side to win a world cup 5 times you are mistaken.
This rare feat was achieved by Aussie women’s team popular known as ‘Southern Stars’ in 2005. They have won the women’s cricket world cup in 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005 also 2013 respectively. Even in the shortest format of the game the southern stars has been a force and lifted the T20 world cups 5 times in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.
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