Womens First Test Match 1951

 By Brian Sanderson

Recently I purchased the above scorecard in respect of 

the First Test Match between England Women and Australia 

in Scarborough from the 16 June till 19 June in 1951.

This was the first rubber between the two countries.The

first one was in 1934-35 in Australia.

The crowd was about 4000 to see England come out to bat.

Mar Cecilia Robinson from Kent scored 105 in four and three

quarters hours .in 1949 she became the first person born in

Canterbury to play Test cricket for England . Her opening 

partner was Myrtle Maclagan who scored 56 in a opening

stand of 95. The first innings score was 283.

When Australia batted Maclagan with shrewd variation of

pace too five wickets for forty three in twenty eight overs.

The Australian top scorer was Betty Wilson who was the first 

cricketer to hit a ton and take ten wickets.In this innings 

she scored 81 in a total of 248.

In the second innings England scored 178 for 8 setting a 

target of 214 in two hous which the Australians did not 

attempt finishing on 111 for 2.

In the Second Test match at Worcester Australia won 

by two wickets with Wilson taking seven wickets in the 

match with her off spin.

The Third Test match at The Oval England won by 137

runs.Mary Duggan was the match winner taking four 

wickets in the first innings with her arm fast medium 

bowling which brought her five wickets in one spell for 

five wickets.She also batted in useful style.