Women Power: 5 world records that were created by women cricketers first
Talking of the 21st century, women have not only entered all the fields but are making the mark equally well as that of men. The typical areas, including engineering, technology, and of course, sports always saw the domination of men in the earlier times. But, the times have changed and so have the trends, we find women excelling in almost all the corners of the world.
The same is in the field of cricket, where women have been making the mark since 1934. Now to talk of records in the same game, the world of cricket sees new records every now and then, but one will be amazed to know that there are some world records that were first made in women’s cricket followed by men.
Let’s look at those 5 world records:
1. First Double Hundred in ODIs
Cricket fans danced with joy when Sachin Tendulkar smashed a double ton against South Africa in Gwalior 2010. However, few people knew at that point that this feat was already accomplished in women’s cricket earlier. Australian batswoman Belinda Clark scored 229 runs in 155 balls in December 1997 during the Women’s World Cup. She even remained unbeaten till the very end and stunned the opponents by displaying a strike-rate of 147.74.
2. First team total over 400 runs in ODI
Now this record relates to the first one only. In the same match where Belinda played a thunderous knock of 229 runs, the team total breached the 400-run mark. This is how Australia Women became the first international team to score 400 runs in ODI cricket. People still believe that ODI between Australia and South Africa in 2006 was the first such instance but there is a different angle in the story.
Belinda’s 229 came in the Women’s World Cup match at Mumbai, where the Australian team, with the help of their stunner, became too dominant on the Denmark team.
3. First 5-wicket haul in ODI World Cup
It was in the year 1975 that Dennis Lillee grabbed eyeballs by becoming the first male cricketer to achieve register a 5-wicket haul in the ODI World Cup. However, little did fans know that even this mark was already achieved in women’s cricket. In a World Cup Clash between Australia and England, Australia’s Tina Macpherson became the first cricketer in the international format to take a 5-wicket haul. In the same match, she scalped five wickets by conceding just 14 runs in her span of 12 overs.
4. First tied ODI match
Even with a lot of advancements in the world of cricket, tied ODI matches are still considered a rarity. An ODI is said to be tied when at the end of both innings, the net runs scored by the team are equal. The first tied match in the history of ODI cricket was played in 1982 between New Zealand and England women’s team.
The first ODI match that tied in men’s cricket came after some years. It happened between the West Indies and Australian cricket team, where both the teams scored 22 runs.
5. First Team to win 5 World Cups
The Australian team has registered its name in the history of cricketing giants that have won maximum World Cups. However, the women’s Australian team is ahead of their men counterparts in achieving their first World Cup victories in 2005. Currently, they have 6 WC titles to their credit by winning the latest one in 2013. On the other hand, the men’s Kangaroo team achieved this feat after 10 long years when they lifted their 5th World Cup title in the year 2015.
