Born on this day, 3rd June 1939 in Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, former Test player for South Africa, Lorna Grace Ward.
Lorna was one of eleven Test debutants when South Africa played their first ever Test match, at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth against England in 1960/61.
A right-arm fast medium bowler who opened the bowling for the Springboks, as they were known then, Lorna took 4-47 in the first innings of the Test. Opening the bowling in all four Tests, Lorna took 9 wickets for the series at 25.33, including 5-18 at Newlands where she bowled out the last five batters.
No Test cricket for a decade until Trish McKelvey’s New Zealand team toured in 1971/72 for a three Test series. In the first innings of the first Test Lorna took 5-47. In the second Test, 3-41 and 3-38. She saved the best till last, taking her best figures in Test cricket of 6-48 in the third Test at Kingsmead in Durban. Seven Test matches in a decade, taking 27 wickets at 17.29 with 3 five wicket hauls.
One is left wondering just how many more wickets could have been taken in that missing decade?