First international matches 1934-35

The first international women’s cricket team to visit Australia was the English team which was invited to tour in the summer of 1934-35 to play a series against an Australian team captained by Margaret Peden.

Three Test matches were played against Australia and one against New Zealand – the first ever women’s Test matches. Although the English women had to pay their own way out, the newly-formed Australian Women’s Cricket Council (AWCC) sponsored the tour, paying all in-country costs and retaining match profits. The public and media interest in the English players was intense. Betty Archdale, captain of the English team, was praised in the press for being a fair and professional player. This was the first international tour since the controversial Bodyline tour of 1932 and Archdale and her team were conscious of the need to heal the cricketing rift between the two countries.

The matches set crowd records at grounds across the country. Men, in particular, were eager and curious to see the women play. The famous SCG barracker Yabba (Stephen Gascoigne) approved: ‘The ladies are playing alright for me. This is cricket, this is… Leave the girls alone.’

England won the series.