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Cricket’s record breaker -- Karen Rolton (29 September)
 While Ricky Ponting is a household name in Australia, mention Karen Rolton and you very likely will be met with a blank expression. Yet Rolton, the current captain of the Australian International Women’s Cricket team, has been an intrinsic part of the Australian team for the last decade.
Rolton’s highest test score of 209*, against England in Headingley in 2001, broke the women’s world record for test scores. With a test average of 66.64, (an average most first class players would be proud of) she is a quick-scoring top order batsperson. She is also handy with the ball, commanding an average of 23.35 runs per wicket with her best match figures being 4/68.
Rolton is also an important part of the Australian One Day International team with a batting average of 56.75 and a high score of 154* and a bowling average of 20.73 with best bowling figures of 4/29.
2006 has been a fantastic year for this gifted cricketer, with her promotion to captain after being vice-captain since 1997 to the now retired Belinda Clark. Rolton was voted the International Women’s player of the year for the fourth time in February this year and has recently been shortlisted for the ICC Women's Player Award, alongside her teammate and friend Cathryn Fitzpatrick. Not bad for a woman who started playing cricket in the backyard with her family and at the park with friends.
Rolton is looking forward to Australia hosting the next World Cup tournament in 2009 and hopes that it will have a great benefit for promoting women’s cricket, especially influencing young girls to begin playing.
"I was only 14 years old when Australia hosted the 1988 World Cup, but I have heard about how that was a source of inspiration for young girls in the country to start playing cricket. Hopefully we can generate a similar result over the coming years,” she said.
Young women with ambitions of representing Australia in cricket could not find a better role model than this talented all-rounder who, when not gracing the cricket pitch, works as a postal officer and plays hockey. It could have been a different story though as, until a knee injury forced her to find a different outlet for her sporting ability, she was a keen hockey and netball player.
The next opportunity to see Rolton in action for Australia will be in the Rose Bowl series against New Zealand in Brisbane, which kicks off on 18 October with the first women’s twenty20 match to be played in Australia. Let’s hope Rolton and the Australian team can continue their fine form.
Here are few statistics about this versatile left-hander from South Australia.
Full name Karen Louise Rolton
Born November 21, 1974, Adelaide, South Australia
Lives Adelaide, South Australia
Current age 31 years
Major teams Australia Women, South Australia Women
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Left-arm medium
By Merrin Hughes
Links
http://wwwc1.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/53458.html
http://wwwc1.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/258924.html
http://cricket.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=36464&pageid=189
http://www.southernstars.org.au/wcaprolt.htm
(Pic: Cricket Australia)
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