The women nowadays have been running shoulder-to-shoulder with men. They have excelled in every field they have entered and deserve opportunities in different areas. In cricket, too, there are many records in which women players outperformed the men players. With the televising of women’s cricket, the female cricketers have started getting the respect they deserve. Test cricket is the best way a player can earn respect. Patiently hitting runs is much easier said than done. Here are the Top 10 Highest Individual Test Scores by Women Cricketers-
1. Kiran Baluch (242 versus West Indies)
Pakistan’s Kiran Maqsood Baluch holds the record for the highest individual score in Women’s test history. Coming in as an opener, Baluch scored 242 in the first innings in this match in 2004 in Karachi. Her knock propelled Pakistan to 426/7d. The 4-day match eventually ended in a draw.
2. Mithali Raj (214 versus England)
Mithali Raj scripted history when she became the first Indian women cricketer to hit a double-century in Test cricket. In this match in 2002 in Taunton, England batted first to score 329. In reply, India rode on Raj’s 214 to post 467. She hit 19 fours to get to the score. The match eventually ended in a draw.
3. Ellyse Perry (213* versus England)
This knock, too, came against England in 2017 in Sydney. In this pink-ball test, Australia’s Ellyse Alexandra Perry scored a whopping 213* with the help of 27 fours and 1 six. With this knock, she became the 4th Australian women cricketer to score a test double-ton. She also grabbed 3 wickets. The match, though, ended in a draw with England leading by 38 runs.
4. Karen Rolton (209*versus England)
A left-handed top-order batter, Karen Rolton, shattered the then-record of the highest individual score in Women’s test cricket. She scored an unbeaten 209 against England at Leeds in 2001. She shared a 253-run stand for the 4th-wicket with Louise Broadfoot (71) to set up a 383-run score for Australia. In the end, Australia was set a target of just 7 runs and ended up winning by 9 wickets.
5. Kirsty Bond (204 versus England)
This innings made Kirsty Bond the first Kiwi women cricketer to score a double-century in Test cricket. Batting first, England scored 414 riding on Barbara Daniels’ 160 and Kathryn Leng’s 144. In reply, New Zealand got to a flying start as openers Shelley Fruinand Debbie Hockley stitched 91 for the first wicket. Bond then took stole the limelight with her 204 in this match at Scarborough. This was the first-ever double-century in Test cricket by a female cricketer. The match ended in a stalemate.
6. Michelle Goszko (204 versus England)
On 24 June 2001, Australia’s Michelle Goszko scored 21st century’s first double-century by a woman batter. In a test match against England at Shenley, the hosts were skittled out on 103. In reply, Australia was propelled by Goszko’s 204 to post 344. In the 3rd innings, England was bowled out for 101, as Australia won the match by an innings and 140 runs. This was Australia’s biggest win in women’s test cricket.
7. Joanne Broadbent (200 versus England)
This was only the 2nd double-ton in women’s Test cricket. In 1998, Australian women toured England. In the opening test at Guildford, England rode on Charlotte Edwards’ 53 and Janette Brittin’s 146 to post 414. In reply, Joanne Broadbent came at 3 to score 200. The match yielded no result as it ended in a draw.
8. Denise Annetts (193 versus England)
Denise Annetts scored a humongous 193 for Australia against England at Wetherby in 1987. She also stitched a 309-run stand for the 3rd-wicket with opener Lindsay Reeler (110). The match ended in a draw with England trailing by 29 runs.
9. Thirush Kamini (192 versus South Africa)
India clashed in a one-off test against South Africa in 2014 at Mysore. Batting first, India rode on the 2nd-wicket stand of 275 runs between Thirush Kamini (192) and Punam Raut (130) to post 400/6d. Kamini’s knock was laced with 24 boundaries and one maximum. South Africa failed to overhaul India’s score in both innings to hand India a win by an innings and 34 runs.
10. Sandhya Agarwal (190 versus England)
Sandhya Agarwal came as a messiah to guide Indian women to a stunning draw against England in 1986. In this match at Worcester, England piled up 332/7d. Agarwal scored a brisk 190 to guide India to 374. The 4-day match eventually ended in a draw.
