Ruby Monaghan played two Test matches for Australia in 1934/5 against the touring England team.
Born on May 24th 1916 in Coniston, New South Wales, Ruby was a right-hand opening batter and medium pace bowler. She made her First Class debut for NSW in 1933/34.
On December 14th 1934 Ruby opened the batting for NSW against Betty Archdale’s England touring team. In the first innings she scored 25, opening with Hazel Pritchard and in the second innings scored 45 opening with Fern Blade (nee Shevill). This performance was enough to see Ruby selected for the Australian team when they played in the first ever Test match two weeks later.
At the Exhibition ground in Brisbane on the 28th December 1934, Ruby Monaghan walked to the crease with Hazel Pritchard to be the first openers in a Test match in women’s cricket after Australia’s captain Margaret Peden chose to bat after winning the toss.
Hazel was the first to go, for 4, after treading on her stumps off the bowling of Myrtle Maclagan. Nell McLarty went for a duck and then after twenty minutes at the crease, Ruby Monaghan fell for 4, caught and bowled Maclagan. Myrtle destroyed the Aussie batting line-up to have them all gone for 47.
In the second innings Ruby again made 4 runs, this time runout and the first woman to be dismissed in that manner in Test cricket.
Ruby’s second and final Test match was at the SCG in January 1935 where 5000 Sydney-siders turned up and paid a handsome £201 all up for the gate. Ruby again opened the batting with Hazel Pritchard. She scored 9 in the first innings and 12 in the second which was her highest score.
Australia lost the second Test by eight wickets. Peden’s humour was on show despite the loss. “It was an improvement by Australia, for the Brisbane Test was lost by nine wickets.”
In 2003 following the merger between the men and the women Ruby was awarded Test cap number 3 for Australia. She passed away in Wollongong in 2012, aged 96.