Meg Lanning

Meg Lanning

Meghann Moira Lanning AM, born on March 25, 1992, is a former Australian cricketer who once led the national women’s team. Throughout her illustrious career, Lanning played a pivotal role in seven triumphant world championship campaigns, securing two Women’s Cricket World Cup titles and five ICC Women’s World Twenty20 crowns. Renowned for her batting prowess, she holds the record for the highest number of Women’s One Day International centuries and was the first Australian to achieve the milestone of 2,000 Twenty20 International runs.

Within the domestic circuit, Lanning represented Victoria in the Women’s National Cricket League and the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League. Moreover, she served as the captain of the Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League. However, on November 9, 2023, Lanning bid farewell to international cricket, marking the end of a remarkable era in Australian cricket history. 

History:

Meghann Moira Lanning was born in Singapore to her parents Wayne, a banker, and Sue. After a brief stint, her family relocated to Thornleigh, a suburb in Sydney, where she attended Warrawee Public School. It was there, at the age of ten, that Lanning took up organized cricket, encouraged by a teacher’s suggestion to try out for a regional team. Representing New South Wales at the primary school level, she played alongside future Australian teammates, including Ellyse Perry. Throughout her formative years, Lanning’s sporting idols were Ricky Ponting and Paul Kelly.

Before her first year of high school, Lanning’s family moved again, this time to Kew, a suburb of Melbourne. She enrolled at Carey Baptist Grammar School, where at the age of 14, she made headlines as the first girl to play First XI cricket for an Associated Public Schools team. In 2021, Lanning received the prestigious Carey Medal, an accolade bestowed annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional service to the wider community.

Lanning holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Health Science from the Australian Catholic University, graduating in 2019.

Teams:

Since 2014, Lanning has held the captaincy for Victoria, though she has yet to secure a Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) championship despite consistently being a standout performer. Her debut for Victoria occurred on December 6, 2008, where she contributed three runs to a victorious match against the South Australian Scorpions.

In the 2010–11 season, Lanning experienced a breakthrough, notching two half-centuries and maintaining an impressive average of 67.33. She achieved her maiden WNCL century on October 29, 2011, crafting 127 runs off 123 balls against the Queensland Fire. Her stellar performance throughout the 2011–12 season earned her the coveted Sharon Tredrea Trophy as Victoria’s Player of the Year, a recognition she has since clinched on five more occasions.

A defining moment came on November 10, 2012, when Lanning shattered the record for the highest individual WNCL score, amassing 175 runs from 143 balls against the ACT Meteors, surpassing the previous record held by Karen Rolton. Just eight days later, she further etched her name in cricketing history by scoring an unbeaten 241 runs off 136 balls for Box Hill in the Victorian Women’s Cricket Association, marking the highest individual total in Women’s Premier Cricket until she later surpassed her record six seasons later with a score of 244 off 145 balls.

Continuing her remarkable run, on October 29, 2016, Lanning surpassed her own WNCL record by amassing 190 runs off 153 balls against Tasmania. Despite her outstanding contributions, her team failed to secure qualification for the final. Nevertheless, she was named Player of the Tournament for the 2016–17 season, underscoring her enduring impact and dominance in women’s cricket.

During the inaugural launch of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) on July 10, 2015, Meghann Moira Lanning made history by becoming the Melbourne Stars’ first-ever player signing and captain. Demonstrating remarkable leadership and skill, she emerged as the league’s leading run-scorer in its debut season, accumulating an impressive total of 560 runs with an average of 56.00, consequently earning her the prestigious title of Player of the Tournament. In the subsequent 2016–17 season, Lanning continued her dominance, topping the run charts once again. However, despite her exceptional individual contributions, the Melbourne Stars narrowly missed out on qualifying for the finals for the second consecutive season. Nevertheless, Lanning’s dual role as both player and captain solidified her status as one of the premier talents in women’s cricket.

Ahead of WBBL|03, Lanning made a significant move, departing from the Melbourne Stars to take on the captaincy role with the Perth Scorchers. However, her debut season with the Scorchers in 2017–18 was marred by injury as she underwent shoulder surgery, sidelining her for the entire campaign. In the subsequent 2018–19 season, Lanning battled persisting injuries, limiting her participation to just nine out of 14 games. Despite her challenges, she showcased her batting prowess with a late surge in form, accumulating 389 runs at an impressive average of 48.62. However, the Scorchers fell agonizingly short of qualifying for the finals yet again.

In WBBL|05, Lanning emerged as the fourth-highest run-scorer, amassing a total of 531 runs with an average of 40.84. She achieved a personal milestone by notching her first WBBL century on December 1, 2019, contributing to a 35-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes. The Scorchers secured a third-place finish in the regular season, marking Lanning’s first WBBL finals appearance. However, their journey was cut short with a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat to the Adelaide Strikers in the semi-finals.

In June 2020, Lanning hinted at the possibility of returning to the WBBL. With her contract at the Perth Scorchers expired, she officially announced her homecoming to her former team, the Melbourne Stars, on July 22, signing a new deal for WBBL|06. Subsequently, on September 22, the Stars confirmed Lanning’s appointment as the team’s captain. In a notable achievement on November 7, Lanning’s innings of 51 not out from 38 balls against the Perth Scorchers at North Sydney Oval made her the first player in the league to score a half-century against all eight teams. Despite finishing the regular season in first place, the Stars suffered a comprehensive defeat in the final against the Sydney Thunder. Lanning’s unconventional decision to bat first, a tactic she hadn’t employed since the 2016–17 season, was met with surprise and criticism from commentators, ultimately leading to a backfiring outcome.

In April 2022, Meghann Moira Lanning was acquired by the Trent Rockets for the 2022 season of The Hundred in England. However, she later opted to withdraw from the tournament.

In the 2023 Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction, Meghann Moira Lanning was purchased by the Delhi Capitals for a notable price of ₹1.1 crore (US$140,000). She was later appointed as the team’s captain for the inaugural WPL season. Throughout the tournament, Lanning showcased her batting prowess, emerging as the leading run-scorer with an impressive total of 345 runs in nine innings, consequently securing the Orange Cap. Despite finishing the regular season in first place, her team faced a defeat in the championship decider against the Mumbai Indians.

Meg Lanning, hailing from Australia, made her mark in international cricket with her debut in 2010. She showcased her prowess early on, scoring ten runs in her first T20I match against New Zealand and following it up with a solid 20 in her debut ODI against England. Just two days later, she stunned the cricketing world by notching up her maiden ODI century, becoming Australia’s youngest-ever centurion at the age of 18.

Her career trajectory continued upward as she played pivotal roles in major tournaments like the 2012 ICC Women’s World Twenty20, where Australia emerged victorious. Lanning’s exceptional batting skills and leadership qualities earned her the captaincy of Australia’s T20 team in 2014, making her the youngest captain in the nation’s history. Under her leadership, Australia clinched the 2014 World Twenty20 title, with Lanning emerging as the tournament’s top run-scorer.

Despite grappling with injuries, Lanning’s resilience shone through, leading Australia to multiple victories, including the 2018 World Twenty20 championship. Her remarkable performances in crucial matches, such as the semi-final of the 2020 T20 World Cup, and her strategic acumen as a captain, propelled Australia to new heights. Lanning’s stellar leadership and batting prowess culminated in Australia’s fifth T20 World Cup title in 2023, solidifying her status as one of the most influential figures in women’s cricket.

Achievements and Awards:

Meghann Moira Lanning has etched her name in cricketing history by setting the record for the most Women’s ODI centuries, surpassing Charlotte Edwards’ tally of nine on March 5, 2017, during a match against New Zealand at Bay Oval. Since then, she has continued to add to her tally, achieving the triple-figure milestone in ODIs on five more occasions as of April 2023. Combining her remarkable feat in ODIs with her two centuries in T20Is, Lanning boasts an impressive career total of 17 international centuries, solidifying her reputation as one of the game’s most prolific and accomplished batswomen.

Meghann Moira Lanning has amassed a remarkable array of individual accolades throughout her illustrious cricketing career. She has been honored as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2015 and the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2014, showcasing her excellence across formats. Additionally, Lanning has been recognized as the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2015, further solidifying her status as one of the sport’s premier talents. With three Belinda Clark Awards under her belt in 2014, 2015, and 2017, she has consistently stood out as one of Australia’s top performers. Moreover, her dominance extends to domestic cricket, where she has claimed numerous Player of the Tournament titles, including the Women’s National Cricket League in 2016–17 and the Women’s Big Bash League in 2015–16. Lanning’s leadership and contributions to the game were further acknowledged with the Australian Women’s Health Sports Awards Leadership Legend accolade in 2019. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to cricket and leadership in the sport, she was also honored as a Member of the Order of Australia. These accolades underscore Lanning’s enduring impact and excellence in the world of cricket.

Stats:

In her remarkable cricket journey, she’s showcased her prowess across formats. She’s displayed her batting prowess in different formats. In Tests, she’s notched up 345 runs at an average of 31.36. Stepping into the ODIs, she’s been impactful with 4602 runs, averaging 53.51, and notching 21 half-centuries and 15 centuries. In the fast-paced T20Is, her aggressive style has brought her 3405 runs at a strike rate of 36.61.

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