Born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England, Jackie Lord played her international cricket for New Zealand. The brilliant leg break bowler played 15 Tests and 15 ODIs.
Right hand batter and leg-break bowler, Jackie made her First Class debut for North Shore in 1965/66 where she took 3-29 from 23 overs. Three days after her debut, on 30th December 1965 she took 4-15 against the Combined XI. Against Wellington in January 1966 she took 7-41 and 3-38. Is it any wonder that she was selected in Trish McKelvey’s squad for the tour of England in 1966?
Jackie made her Test debut in the first Test against England at Scarborough. She took just one wicket, that of Jackie Whitney, but it opened her account. That wicket was the first of 55 wickets in Test cricket, the all-time best for New Zealand. The Test was the first of fifteen she would play, consecutively, from 1966 to 1978/79.
In 1971/72 Jackie was part of the team that turned around a disastrous first innings total of 89 against Australia in Melbourne, to a victory – the first Test win for the White Ferns. That same season in the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, Jackie took 5-24 in the second innings to help the White Ferns to their second Test win. It was the first of four 5 wicket hauls.
In 1978/79 in a three Test series away to Australia, Jackie Lord was at the peak of her powers and in the third Test at Melbourne collected a 10 wicket haul for the match with 4-18 and 6-119.
The overall Test numbers from 15 Tests, 55 wickets at 19.07 with a best of 6-119 and includes one 10 wickets in a match to go with her four 5 wickets in an innings.
Jackie’s ODI debut was in the first World Cup in 1973 where she played three matches. She did not play again until the home World Cup in 1981/82. Her 6-10 against India at Auckland remains the best bowling figures in World Cups. Over 15 ODIs she would take 25 wickets at 12.72.