Sydney, Jan 5 (IANS) After the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) unveiled Belinda Clarks sculpture, the first of its kind for a womens cricketer in the world, the former Australian skipper said she wants the statue to be a reminder of one achieving anything if they can put their mind to a particular task.
Belinda’s sculpture has been installed at the entrance to the SCG’s Walk of Honour and was revealed for the first time ahead of Day Two of the third Test between Australia and South Africa on Thursday.
“I’m excited to have the sculpture in place and for people to now look at it and perhaps wonder what that is, who that is and to be able to tell a bit of a story is really important. The sculpture encapsulates being able to have a go-to be courageous, to take on those challenges and break convention.”
“I want people to take away that you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it and you have good people around you, and I think I’ve been very fortunate to have had great support and have a bit of an imagination to take my game where I wanted to take it, and hopefully the sport is in a better place for it,” she said after the unveiling of her sculpture.
Belinda compiled a formidable record for Australia as a captain and batter. She scored 919 Test runs at an average of 45.95 including two centuries in 15 Tests. She also amassed 4844 ODI runs from 118 matches, averaging 47.49.
She holds the record to smash the first double century in Women’s ODI cricket, by hitting a scintillating 229 runs off 155 balls against Denmark at Mumbai in 1997.
Belinda captained Australia for 12 years and in 101 games; taking them to victories in the 1997 and 2005 ODI World Cups. After her playing days ended, she was inducted into the Australian and the ICC Cricket Halls of Fame.
Former Australia cricketer Rachael Haynes remarked on SEN Test Cricket show that seeing Belinda’s statue could inspire countless girls and women to take up the sport.
“It’s really special as a player to walk into the ground like this, or even a fan… and the first thing when you walk through gate A of the members is Belinda. And that’s pretty special, that wasn’t the case as a young girl growing up.”
Belinda’s statue is the 15th of its kind at the SCG and joins fellow women athletes Betty Cuthbert and Marlene Matthews, the former sprinting duo who are at the front of Allianz Stadium next door.
–IANS
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