The first player to record a double century in the One Day International format of the game, Clark has scored the most runs and captained the most matches of any Australian woman in ODIs.
18 Facts About Belinda Clark
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Belinda Clark has achieved emphatic success domestically, winning five championships with New South Wales and two with Victoria while playing in the Women's National Cricket League.
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Widely considered a pioneer of the game and one of the greatest female players ever, Belinda Clark was the first woman inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and the second in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
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Belinda Clark was born in Newcastle, New South Wales to father Allan, a school teacher and inter-district cricketer, and mother Margaret, a state tennis champion.
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Belinda Clark began playing on girls' cricket teams at the age of 13 while attending Newcastle High School.
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Belinda Clark made her international cricket debut on 17 January 1991 in an ODI against New Zealand at Bellerive Oval, opening the batting and scoring 36 in Australia's eight-wicket victory.
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When exiled batter Denise Annetts publicly claimed she had been dropped from the national team on the basis of her heterosexuality and marital status, a furious Belinda Clark responded via the media, stating she'd like to "slap her around".
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Belinda Clark compiled a total of 970 runs in 1997 which remains a Women's ODI record for the most runs in a single calendar year.
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Belinda Clark led Australia through the group stage of the 2000 Cricket World Cup and put on a 170-run partnership with Lisa Keightley in the semi-final to defeat South Africa by nine wickets at Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
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Belinda Clark scored four runs and took one catch in the seven-wicket win.
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Belinda Clark announced her retirement from all forms of cricket on 16 September 2005.
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Belinda Clark studied at the University of Sydney and completed a degree in Applied Science.
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Belinda Clark completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
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In December 2020, Belinda Clark started her own business called The Leadership Playground, aimed at helping girls between the ages of 10 and 15 develop and grow skills for leadership positions.
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Belinda Clark cites various tennis players, such as John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova, as her first sporting heroes before idolising Australian cricketers from the 1970s, including Kim Hughes and Greg Chappell.
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In January 2023, a bronze statue of Belinda Clark was unveiled at the entrance to the Sydney Cricket Ground's Walk of Honour.
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Belinda Clark was appointed Director of the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Local Organising Committee.
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In January 2023, a full size statue of Belinda Clark was unveiled at the Sydney Cricket Ground.