FORMER HK&HDCA JUNIOR PLAYER , MEG LANNING (AGE 20), WINS THE T20 WORLD CUP

Former HK&HDCA junior player, Meg Lanning (pictured at right), played a key role in the Australian Southern Stars’ T20 World Cup victory, defeating favourites England by 4 runs in the Final on 7 October 2012 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The successful Aussie Women’s team was sent into bat and scored an impressive 4/142 off its 20 overs, led by a brilliant opening partnership of 51 runs off just 6 overs by Meg Lanning (25) and Alyssa Healy (26), followed by powerful knocks from Jess Cameron (45) and Lisa Sthalekar (23 no). In reply, the Aussie girls bowled and fielded with great determination and removed England’s champion batters, captain Charlotte Edwards (28) and Sarah Taylor (19). England’s middle / lower order batters staged a late recovery, only to finish 5 runs short of victory. This resulted in Australia being crowned back-to-back champions after winning the 2010 T20 World Cup in the West Indies. A decade ago, Meg Lanning (as a 10 year old), blasted 2 centuries and 99no in the one representative season playing for the HK&HDCA U/11 Jim Goulder Shield girls’ team. Meg’s family moved to Melbourne in 2004 and she progressed to the Victorian Women’s cricket team. She later made a stunning debut in the Australian team in 2011 with a century in her second international match to become the youngest Australian (male or female) to score an ODI century, beating Ricky Ponting’s previous record by over two years. HK&HDCA congratulates Meg Lanning on her fantastic individual and team achievements.