Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Christina Matthews was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame prior to the Women’s Ashes 2024–25’s sole Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting on January 30. It is important to remember that Christina, who served as Australia’s vice captain, had a lengthy career as a cricket administrator.
Speaking of Christina’s achievements to cricket, she has participated in the most Test matches for her nation (20 to date). She now ranks sixth overall in the world for this accomplishment. She holds the record for most wicketkeeping dismissals in women’s Test history with 58. She was a key member of Australia’s 1988 World Cup victory at the MCG and played 47 ODIs over her 1984–1995 career.
“I would want to express my gratitude to all of my teammates who helped make this possible and to the coaches who provided me with invaluable support. In addition, I would want to thank my partner and family for joining me in celebrating today. My parents are no longer with us, but without their support, you cannot accomplish any of these goals.
I didn’t think twice about picking this historic moment when I had an option in where it could be presented,” Christina added.
Being from Melbourne, I can attest to the MCG’s prominence as the world’s most iconic stadium. It is really amazing to be a part of this and to be acknowledged in such a wonderful setting. I played in the 1988 World Cup final here, and I believe I basically looked about the entire time. Today’s crowd will be far larger than it was back then. However, it was an unreal dream to be able to play on this field,” she continued.
From 2007 to 2011, Christina oversaw the Australia women’s selection panel in her capacity as administrator. In 2012, she was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Western Australia Cricket, a position she held for 12 years. She was chosen as the first female president of the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) in December 2024, shortly after taking over the CEO role at WA Cricket.