Mary Beatrice Duggan (7 November 1925 – 10 March 1973) was an English cricketer who played as an all-rounder. She appeared in 17 Test matches for England between 1949 and 1963, and captained the side from 1957 onwards. Most of her domestic career was spent with Middlesex.[1][2]

Mary Duggan
Posing for a coin toss photo in 1957
Personal information
Full name
Mary Beatrice Duggan
Born(1925-11-07)7 November 1925
Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Died10 March 1973(1973-03-10) (aged 47)
Colwall, Herefordshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLeft-arm medium-fast
Slow left-arm orthodox
RoleAll-rounder
RelationsJonathan Agnew (cousin)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 21)15 January 1949 v Australia
Last Test20 July 1963 v Australia
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1949Yorkshire
1951–1963Middlesex
Career statistics
Competition WTest WFC
Matches 17 65
Runs scored 652 1,708
Batting average 24.14 21.89
100s/50s 2/1 2/3
Top score 108 108
Balls bowled 3,734 10,616
Wickets 77 246
Bowling average 13.49 12.52
5 wickets in innings 5 15
10 wickets in match 0 3
Best bowling 7/6 8/21
Catches/stumpings 9/– 31/–
Source: CricketArchive, 10 March 2021

Life and career

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Duggan was the youngest of three children of Mary Heath (née Gattey) and Norman Duggan, a physician and surgeon. She attended the Alice Ottley School, Worcester and Royal High School, Bath, before training as a physical education teacher at Dartford College of Physical Education.[3]

A right-handed batter, Duggan scored 652 runs in Tests at an average of 24.14, and in her last game hit an unbeaten century against Australia at the Oval[1] (the first there by a woman at Test match level).[4] She was also an effective bowler, and bowled both medium pace[5] and left-arm orthodox spin. Her tally of 77 Test wickets, taken at an average of just 13.49, remains an all-time record.[6] In February 1958, she took a remarkable 7 wickets for 6 runs in the first innings of the second Test against Australia, played at the St Kilda Cricket Ground, Melbourne.[7] Until 1995 these were the best figures in women's Test history, and as of 1 January 2024, have been surpassed only twice.[8] In 1957, she took over the England captaincy from Molly Hide.[9] In addition to her hundred in her final match, she took 7 for 72, and was instrumental in England winning the match and the series.[1]

In 1962, Duggan and Ruth Westbrook became the first women to be awarded the MCC's advanced coaching certificate.[3] At the time of her death, she was president of the Women's Cricket Association,[10] and for 10 years had been vice-principal of Dartford College of Education.[1] Amongst the students she taught there was her successor as England captain, Rachael Heyhoe Flint, who picked out Duggan as being one of the institution's "first-class lecturers".[11]

Duggan was a first cousin of England cricketer and cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew.[12]

Test centuries

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Mary Duggan's Test centuries[13]
# Runs Match Opponents City/Country Venue Year
1 108 11   New Zealand   Christchurch, New Zealand Lancaster Park 1957[14]
2 101* 17   Australia   London, England The Oval 1963[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Mary Duggan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Player Profile: Mary Duggan". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Salmon, Carol (2011). "Duggan, Mary Beatrice (1925–1973)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64943.
  4. ^ Rice, Jonathan, ed. (2005). A Wisden Collection. Vol. 2. London: A & C Black. p. 197. ISBN 9780713675061.
  5. ^ Penbugs (7 November 2020). "England Superstars: Mary Duggan". Penbugs. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Records for Women Test Matches | Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ^ "2nd Test: Australia Women v England Women at Melbourne, Feb 21-24, 1958 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Tests Best bowling figures in an innings". Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  9. ^ Martin-Jenkins, Christopher (1996). "Duggan, Mary Beatrice". World Cricketers: A Biographical Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 220. ISBN 019210005X.
  10. ^ Sanders, E. A. (1974). "Hon Sec./Match Sec./N.D.O.'s Report". Women's Cricket Association Year Book 1974. London: Women's Cricket Association. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ^ Flint, Rachael Heyhoe (1975). "Cricket and Hockey". In Green, Connie & Joslin, Susan (eds.). The Way to the Top: 20 Stories of Success in Sport. East Ardsley: EP Publishing. pp. 37–41. ISBN 0715801759.
  12. ^ Sproat, Iain (1990). The Cricketers' Who's Who 1990. London: Collins. p. 11. ISBN 0002183528.
  13. ^ "All-round records | Women's Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com – MB Duggan". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Full Scorecard of NZ Women vs ENG Women 1st Test 1957/58 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Full Scorecard of ENG Women vs AUS Women 3rd Test 1963 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
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