Born in Jamaica on November 11th 1946, Dorothy Hobson is a pioneer of both Jamaica and West Indies women’s cricket teams.
Dorothy batted in the middle order and bowled leg-breaks. Her first international duty was in 1970/71 representing Jamaica in the Hayward Shield, a tri-series between a visiting England team and Trinidad.
Her next outing was representing Jamaica in June 1973 against Miriam Knee’s touring Australians where there was an unofficial “Test match”. (Jamaica was a full member of the IWCC at the time. The West Indies as an entity in women’s cricket did not exist until 1976.) The match was at Sabina Park, Hobson making 3 runs and taking 1-41, including the wicket of the Australian captain.
Dorothy’s next encounter was a tour to England in 1973 to represent Jamaica in the first ever World Cup of cricket. She played in all five of Jamaica’s matches, her high point, 2-45 against England.
By 1976 the West Indies is established as a full member nation and hosts Australia in a two Test series. Hobson is in the squad but not selected for either Test. In November 1976, West Indies tour India for the first time and Dorothy makes her Test debut at Madras. She takes 2-22, including the wicket of captain Shantha Rangaswamy.
In 1979 Dorothy is part of the West Indies squad to tour England and plays just the one Test, and two of the three ODIs. In the 3rd ODI of that series, she removes the England captain, Sue Goatman. If nothing else, Dorothy Hobson made a habit of dismissing opposing skippers!
Today Dorothy still works for Jamaica cricket. A true pioneer in every sense of the word, representing Jamaica on the world stage in the inaugural World Cup of cricket and being part of West Indies first Test cricket squad.