Australia’s oldest Test cricketer, Norma Whiteman, dies at 86

 

Sydney: Australia’s oldest Test cricketer and a trailblazer of the women’s game, Norma Whiteman, has passed away aged 86. A middle-order batter and medium-pace bowler, Whiteman (also known as Norma Johnston) represented Australia in seven Tests from 1948 to 1951. Until her passing, Whiteman was the oldest Australian Test cricketer alive.

Australian Cricket is mourning the loss of Norma Johnston (nee Whiteman), who has passed away aged 95. Norma played seven Tests from 1948-51 and, until her passing, was Australia’s oldest living Test cricketer. ‘Australian Cricket is mourning the loss of Norma Johnston (nee Whiteman), who has passed away aged 95. Norma played seven Tests from 1948-51 and until her passing, was Australia’s oldest living Test cricketer. Our thoughts are with her family and friends’, Australia Cricket announced on Twitter.

‘Everyone across Australian Cricket will be saddened to hear of Norma’s passing. As a pioneer, Norma not only made a wonderful contribution as a player but helped set the platform for the many thousands of women and girls now playing the game’, ESPNcricinfo quoted Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley as saying.

Whiteman made her debut in 1948 on a tour of New Zealand and finished her career following the 1951 tour of England. She scored 151 Test runs at 25.16 and scalped 22 wickets at 20.54. ‘I loved listening to her recall touring with the pioneers of the women’s game. It was an interest she carried all the way through to her love of the WBBL and the thrill she got from just how far the game had progressed. Being a girl from Bathurst in country New South Wales, she always kept an eye on, and had a place close to her heart for all the country girls who would come through and play for their state and Australia’, Lisa Sthalekar said in a statement issued by the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA).

Australia captain Pat Cummins also tweeted, ‘This morning I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Norma Johnston. She was passionate about cricket, about her home town of Bathurst and the many women who would follow in her footsteps representing their state and country. Her contribution to Australian cricket and the friendships she made with so many within the game will live on forever’.