Betty Wilson

For other people named Elizabeth Wilson, see Elizabeth Wilson (disambiguation).
Betty Wilson

Betty Wilson padded up in 1951
Personal information
Full name Elizabeth Rebecca Wilson
Born (1921-11-21)21 November 1921
Melbourne, Australia
Died 22 January 2010(2010-01-22) (aged 88)
Melbourne, Australia
Nickname Betty
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Right arm off break
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 30) 20 March 1948 v New Zealand women
Last Test 24 March 1958 v England women
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
19481958 Victoria
Career statistics
Competition Women's Test cricket
Matches 11
Runs scored 862
Batting average 57.46
100s/50s 3/3
Top score 127
Balls bowled 2,885
Wickets 68
Bowling average 11.80
5 wickets in innings 4
10 wickets in match 2
Best bowling 7/7
Catches/stumpings 10/
Source: CricketArchive, 14 May 2009

Elizabeth Rebecca "Betty" Wilson (21 November 1921 – 22 January 2010[1]) was considered one of the greatest woman cricket players of all time.[2][3] She represented Australia in Women's Test cricket between 1947–48 and 1957–58. Wilson batted right-handed, and was a good off-spin bowler and a superb fielder.

Born in Melbourne, Wilson grew up in the inner neighbourhood of Collingwood and learned the game by playing against a lamp post in her street. At the age of 10, she joined the Collingwood Women's Cricket Club where she played with the adults. She made it to the Victoria second XI at the age of 14, and to the senior side at 16.

The Second World War delayed her Test appearances till 1948. On her debut against New Zealand, she scored 90 and took 4/37 and 6/28. In her second Test, she scored 111 against England becoming the first Australian woman to score a Test century against England, and took nine more wickets.

She toured England in 1951 and scored 81 in the first Test at Scarborough. Against Yorkshire, she scored 100* in 77 minutes, leading Australia to a last ball win. After this series, she stayed in England for two and a half years.

In the St.Kilda Test against England in 1957–58, she became the first cricketer, male or female, to score a 100 and take 10 wickets in a Test. On a wet wicket, she took 7/7 in the first innings which included the first ever hat trick in a women's Test. The feat was not repeated until Shaiza Khan of Pakistan did the same in 2004. She top scored with 12 in Australia's low first innings and a 100 in the second. Taking 4/9 in 19 overs in the second, she set another record for the best bowling of 11/16 in a match, which stood as a record till 2004.

Wilson played 11 Tests in her career scoring 862 runs at 57.46 and taking 68 wickets at 11.80.

In 1985, she became the first woman cricketer to be inducted into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame. In 1985–86, the Under-21 National Women's Cricket Championship was renamed the Betty Wilson Shield. In 1996–97, the age group was changed to Under-19.

See also

References

  1. "Betty Wilson". Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  2. Obituary The Times, 15 February 2010.
  3. Obituary The Independent, 16 April 2010.

External links

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