Audrey Jackson
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Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Audrey Jackson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1944 (age 80–81) Port Elizabeth, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Little Audrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 6) | 2 December 1960 v England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 13 January 1961 v England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1955/56–1960/61 | Eastern Province | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 22 February 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Audrey Wood (née Jackson; born 1944) is a South African former cricketer who played as a right-arm pace bowler. She appeared in two Test matches for South Africa in 1960 and 1961, both against England, and took South Africa's first ever Women's Test wicket. She played domestic cricket for Eastern Province, making her debut at age 12.[1][2] She batted left-handed.[3]
Jackson grew up in Sydenham and, being the only girl on the street, played cricket there with the local boys.[4] She was unaware of women's cricket until she saw a game in progress one afternoon in 1956. Later that year, she made her first appearance in provincial cricket.[4] Her debut for Eastern Province, coming at the age of 12, almost certainly makes her the youngest senior provincial player in South African history.[4]
Jackson was well known in South Africa for her fast bowling, and was even advised by teammates that it was not necessary to bowl so quickly.[4] Recalling this, Jackson recounts: "Shame, I still remembers how I split one of the girl's fingers open with one of my deliveries."[4] In 1960, eight days of trials were held to select a Test side to play the touring England team.[4] Jackson, Eastern Province's only representative at the trials, caused an upset when she claimed the wickets of Joy Irwin and Eleanor Lambert, Natal's record-breaking openers for only 20 runs.[4] Only the final day of the trial, she took the wickets of three of the previous day's high-scorers for 23 runs.[4]