Born on 28th June 1970 in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand, is former Test and ODI player for Ireland, Catherine O’Neill.
A right-hand batter and right-arm off-break made her List A debut with Auckland in 1992/93 but only played three matches before stepping out to make her international debut for Ireland in the 1993 World Cup. Ironically, the first team Ireland met on that campaign was New Zealand.
That was the first of three World Cup campaigns in which Catherine would represent Ireland, the other two being 1997/98 and 2000. Across 41 ODIs spanning a decade from 1993 to 2000, Catherine scored 438 runs with a top score of 45. With the ball, 45 wickets with a best of 4-10 against Pakistan at Gurgaon in the 97/98 World Cup.
Ireland played a Test match against Pakistan in 2000 and Catherine O’Neill duly made her debut. Pakistan capitulated for just 53 runs in their first innings with Catherine taking 3-15. Just five players batted in Ireland’s reply before the captain, Miriam Grealey declared. Catherine was ready to bat at six!
In Pakistan’s second innings, Catherine took 3-12, giving her the match figures of 6-27 with Ireland winning by an innings.