The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has bestowed Honorary Life Membership upon former Australian captain Meg Lanning, recognizing her exceptional contributions to cricket. Lanning’s illustrious career, marked by her leadership and batting prowess, has left an indelible mark in the world of women’s cricket.
Making her debut in international cricket in 2010, Lanning quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Australia’s most formidable batters. Remarking on her illustrious career, Lanning has been a member of seven successful world championship campaigns, winning two Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2013 and 2022 with five ICC Women’s World Twenty20 titles in 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023.
Lanning’s individual records are equally impressive. In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), she amassed 4,602 runs, including 15 centuries and 21 fifties. She stands as the only captain to have highest runs of 1232 in the ICC Women’s Championship, 2014-2016/17 series.
Her highest ODI score of 152 came against Sri Lanka in the 2017 World Cup, which remains the highest individual score in a run-chase in women’s ODIs. In T20 Internationals (T20Is), she scored 3405 runs, with two centuries and 15 fifties. Her 133 against England in 2019 was, at the time, the highest individual score in women’s T20Is. She’s the fourth fastest to reach 3000 runs in 107 innings in T20Is.
As a captain, Lanning’s leadership was unparalleled. She holds the record for the most consecutive ODI wins as a captain, with 24 victories. Overall, she led Australia in 182 matches across formats, securing 140 wins, making her one of the most successful captains in cricket history.
Beyond her on-field achievements, Lanning has been a trailblazer off the field. She has also been named as Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in 2015. Upon being bestowed with the Honorary Life Membership, Lanning expressed, “I’m thrilled to be awarded Honorary Life Membership of MCC, becoming part of a prestigious Club and following in the footsteps of a long line of fantastic cricketers, both from Australia and around the world.
“It is a huge privilege, as it always has been to play at Lord’s both internationally and domestically, and I am honored to accept the invitation.”
With Meg’s inclusion as an Honorary Life Member of the MCC isn’t just a personal accolade, her induction symbolizes a new era where women’s achievements in sport are honored on equal footing. Her legacy continues to inspire aspiring cricketers worldwide.
(Quote sourced from MCC media release)
