Born on 28th November 1923, Hawthorn, Melbourne, was Australia’s wicket keeper from 1947-1951, Lorna Larter.
Larter made her debut in the first Test ever played between Australia and New Zealand, at the Basin Reserve, Wellington. It was a powerful Aussie team, led by Mollie Dive and packed to the rafters with members of the Victorian team, a powerhouse through the 1950s. Larter, batting at number six, made 13 not out. It would be a similar story through her career, with little to do after Betty Wilson, Una Paisley, Joan Schmidt, Amy Hudson, Mollie Dive had run the bowlers ragged.
Her batting in Test cricket almost irrelevant – although Lorna had scored plenty of runs for Victoria – it was her glovework that did all the talking. She did have the fortune of keeping to Wilson and Paisley, as well as the left arm Chinaman bowling of Myrtle Craddock. An Ashes series win in 1948/9 and then a tour to England in 1951 to retain them. Lorna played seven Tests, only managed 72 runs, but took 7 catches and 9 stumpings.