Flashback: First woman to play 100 ODIs

Former New Zealand cricketer Debbie Hockley was the first woman to play 100 one-day internationals and she achieved the feat against Trans-Tasman rivals Australia in February 2000 in Melbourne. She ended her career with 118 ODIs to her name with the last appearance in the format coming against the same opposition in 2000.

Hockley featured in her landmark game against rivals Australia in Melbourne in the year 2000. Her debut in the ODI format came against England way back in January 1982 in Auckland. A right-handed batter, Hockley played 118 ODI matches for the Kiwis and scored 4064 runs at an average of 41.89 with the highest score of 117. In 115 innings, she struck four centuries and 34 half-centuries with 18 unbeaten knocks. Debbie also holds the special record of scoring the most runs in Women’s ODI World Cups.

She amassed 1501 runs in the global tournament at an average of 42.88 with India’s Mithali Raj second in the list for scoring 1321 runs. She is also the first woman to reach the landmark of 4000 runs in the format. To add more, she was also the woman to score 1000 ODI runs for New Zealand.

It doesn’t end here as there are many ‘firsts’ for the former Kiwi captain. Debbie was also the first woman to become the President of New Zealand cricket. Her international career spanned from 1979 to 2000 as she represented New Zealand for 21 long years.

Her maiden appearance for the Kiwis came in a Test match against the Aussies in Melbourne in January 1979. She played 19 Tests and mustered 1301 runs at an average of 52.04 with the best score of 126*. In 29 innings, she struck smashed four centuries and seven half-centuries.