Belinda Clark
Quick Facts
Biography
Belinda Jane Clark AO (born 10 September 1970) is an Australian former international cricketer, who played international cricket for Australian women's national team from 1991 to 2005. She was the first ever batsman to score a double century in a women's One Day International when she scored 229* against Denmark women's team in 1997 World Cup, until recently as the record was broken on 13 June 2018 by Amelia Kerr of New Zealand who scored 232* against Ireland. She was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2011.
Clark captained the Australian women's cricket team from 1994 to her retirement in 2005. In 1998 Clark was named Wisden Australia Cricketer of the Year., and has captained the Australian women's Test side since 1994. She was also chief executive of Women's Cricket Australia. Clark played one Women's Twenty20 International and 89 Women's National Cricket League matches.
On 16 September 2005, Clark announced her retirement after playing in 118 one-day internationals and 15 Tests. She holds Australia's record for Test and ODI runs and also for ODI appearances.
After her retirement, Clark took on a new role as manager of the Australian Cricket Academy in Brisbane.
She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day honours list in January 2000, "for service to cricket, particularly through the Australian Women's Cricket Team, and to the promotion and development of the game for women and girls." In 2018 Clark was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to cricket as a player, captain and administrator, through support for national and international professional councils, and as a role model for young sportswomen".
Clark was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2011.
Clark became the first female player inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame during the 2014 Allan Border Medal ceremony.
Clark was manager of the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. There she oversaw not only the development of the Southern Stars but an increasing level of interaction, communication and shared training among male and female cricketers at the top level. As of 2018, Clark is now the Executive General Manager of Game and Market Development at Cricket Australia.
In 2018, Clark was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to cricket as a player, captain and administrator, through support for national and international professional councils, and as a role model for young sportswomen". In October 2019 she was named winner of the Arts, Culture and Sport category in The Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence awards.
Career highlights
- World Cup wins in 1997 and 2005 in South Africa, and the final in 2000
- Holds the record for playing the most matches as captain in Women's Cricket World Cup(23)
- Highest individual ODI score of 229* in a Women's ODI World Cup match against Denmark in Mumbai in 1997 Women's Cricket World Cup
- First double centurion (of either gender) in a One Day International among all men and women cricket formats.
- Most runs by an Australian in the Women's Cricket World Cup (1,151).
- Australian record for scoring most ODI runs (4,844)
- Australian record for most appearances as captain of Australia (101).
- Second highest individual score in a Women's ODI innings(229*) as well holds the record for the highest ever individual score in an ODI innings as captain (229*) in either Men's/Women's ODI history. She was also the first ever captain in either Men's/Women's ODI history to score a double century.
- She also holds the record for scoring the most runs in Women's ODI cricket in a single calendar year (970 runs in 1997)
International Women's Centuries
Women's Test Centuries
Belinda Clark's Test centuries | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Runs | Match | Opponents | City/Country | Venue | Year | |
1 | 104 | 1 | India | Sydney, Australia | North Sydney Oval | 1991 | |
2 | 136 | 9 | England | Worcester, England | New Road | 1998 | |
Women's One Day International Centuries
Belinda Clark's One Day International centuries | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Runs | Match | Opponents | City/Country | Venue | Year | |
1 | 104 | 27 | Pakistan | Melbourne, Australia | Wesley Cricket Ground | 1997 | |
2 | 136 | 29 | New Zealand | Auckland, New Zealand | Eden Park | 1997 | |
3 | 229* | 38 | Denmark | Mumbai, India | Middle Income Group Ground | 1997 | |
4 | 146* | 59 | England | Newcastle, Australia | No 1 Sports Ground | 2000 | |
5 | 120 | 92 | New Zealand | Hamilton, New Zealand | Seddon Park | 2004 | |