Once upon a time, cricket was a sport dominated by men. But fast forward to the present day, and cricket has come a long way, and so has women’s cricket. From the great players who have shone because of their ability to those who have been pioneers and have paved the way, many female cricketers have gone down in history and created legacies.
Rachael Heyhoe-Flint
We will start as we mean to go on, and that’s with arguably the greatest female cricket player of all time. Rachael Heyhoe-Flint was a tremendous batter in her own right, but it’s arguably what she did for the women’s side of the sport that sees her stand head and shoulders above the rest. In 1973, Heyhoe-Flint helped establish the Women’s World Cup, which has come on leaps and bounds since, as shown by the extensive coverage by media platforms as well as mainstream betting brands including online sportsbooks like bwin and other established brands. She was also the first female cricketer to be entered into the ICC Hall of Fame.
Mithali Raj
There aren’t many players female cricket players who have enjoyed a career like Mithali Raj’s. Yes, some have come on the scene and done well for a period of time, but in Raj’s case, we’re talking about a player who stayed at the very top of her game for nearly two decades. Her influence on the sport has never been in doubt, as Raj remained the only player out of India to captain her country to two 50-over World Cup finals. Raj also goes down in history as India’s greatest female batter, a status that will be hard to overtake.
Belinda Clark
Like many other female cricketers, Belinda Clark is another who revolutionised the game for the women taking part. Which you could say is a serious achievement because of how loved cricket is in Australia, but how dominated it is by men. In terms of her influence on the sport, it’s unrivalled in many instances, with Clark enjoying a hugely successful career that lasted around sixteen years. Her record at the Women’s Cricket World Cup was impressive, too, with two victories from three tournaments she played in. She also made it into the ICC Hall of Fame, becoming the second woman to do so after Heyhoe-Flint.
Cathryn Fitzpatrick
Cathryn Fitzpatrick is another Australian female cricketer who goes down in history as one of the sport’s legends. Like Clark and Heyhoe-Flint, Fitzpatrick is also a member of the ICC Hall of Fame, and you could say it’s what she could do with the ball that got her to the heights she eventually hit. We’ve all heard of fast bowlers, but Fitzpatrick was renowned for being the fastest, which helped her take the third most wickets in Australian cricket history. In 2004 she was also recognised as the International Woman Cricketer of the Year, an accolade many aim to achieve but often fail to do so. Fitzpatrick was also the first woman to make one hundred one-day appearances for Australia.
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