Mary Beatrice Duggan (7 November 1925 –10 March 1973) was an English cricketer who played as an all-rounder. She appeared in 17 Test matches for England between 1949 and 1963,and captained the side from 1957 onwards. Most of her domestic career was spent with Middlesex.[1][2]
A right-handed batter,Duggan scored 652 runs in Tests at an average of 24.14,and in her last game hit an unbeaten century against Australia at the Oval[1] (the first there by a woman at Test match level).[4] She was also an effective bowler,and bowled both medium pace[5] and left-arm orthodox spin. Her tally of 77 Test wickets,taken at an average of just 13.49,remains an all-time record.[6] In February 1958,she took a remarkable 7 wickets for 6 runs in the first innings of the second Test against Australia,played at the St Kilda Cricket Ground,Melbourne.[7] Until 1995 these were the best figures in women's Test history,and as of 1January2024[update],have been surpassed only twice.[8] In 1957,she took over the England captaincy from Molly Hide.[9] In addition to her hundred in her final match,she took 7 for 72,and was instrumental in England winning the match and the series.[1]
In 1962,Duggan and Ruth Westbrook became the first women to be awarded the MCC's advanced coaching certificate.[3] At the time of her death,she was president of the Women's Cricket Association,[10] and for 10 years had been vice-principal of Dartford College of Education.[1] Amongst the students she taught there was her successor as England captain,Rachael Heyhoe Flint,who picked out Duggan as being one of the institution's "first-class lecturers".[11]
↑ Sanders, E. A. (1974). "Hon Sec./Match Sec./N.D.O.'s Report". Women's Cricket Association Year Book 1974. London: Women's Cricket Association. pp.16–17. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
↑ Flint, Rachael Heyhoe (1975). "Cricket and Hockey". In Green, Connie & Joslin, Susan (eds.). The Way to the Top: 20 Stories of Success in Sport. East Ardsley: EP Publishing. pp.37–41. ISBN0715801759.
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