24 Facts About Margaret Peden

Margaret Peden played six women's test matches for the Australia women's cricket team in the 1930s, and was the first Australian women's Test captain.

Margaret Peden was the daughter of Margaret Ethel and John Beverley Peden; her father was a professor of law.

Margaret Peden played backyard cricket as a child and achieved recognition in sports while attending school at Abbotsleigh, being noted as one of the school's best tennis players in 1921.

Margaret Peden captained her school's cricket team and at her direction the girls side began bowling overarm rather than underarm.

In 1928 Margaret Peden helped found a Women's Cricket Association for New South Wales and was named the inaugural honorary secretary of the body.

Margaret Peden was described as bowling a "deadly ball" ahead of the series, and in addition to captaining her State she was responsible for managing the organization of the matches themselves which she found took up the majority of her time.

In July 1930 Margaret Peden stated that interest in participating in women's cricket in Australia was rapidly increasing, reporting that there were 250 women's cricketers in New South Wales, 200 in Queensland, 50 in Victoria, and an Association forming in South Australia, and she said in an interview.

In March 1931 the All Australia Council for women's cricket was formed and the first women's interstate Cricket Carnival, modelled on the Sheffield Shield, was organized and Margaret Peden was credited with the formation of the body as she had encouraged the Queensland and Victorian women's Associations to support the initiative.

In October 1931 the NSW Women's Cricket Association voted to allow women's cricketers to wear trousers rather than having to wear skirts when playing, however Margaret Peden had opposed the change due to the reasoning that many women's grounds did not have changerooms to allow the cricketers to change from a skirt to trousers for the games.

In February 1932 Margaret Peden, still serving as secretary of the NSW Association and captain of the NSW women's team, invited a Doctor to deliver a lecture to the side on the importance of a healthy diet, and she captained the side to its second interstate Premiership that year.

Margaret Peden was elected honorary secretary of the national Australian Women's Cricket Association for 1932.

In February 1933 Margaret Peden began efforts to organize for a New Zealand women's team to participate in the 1934 Australian women's interstate tournament, a move which was seen as aiming to help the states prepare for a tour by an English side.

Margaret Peden captained NSW for the third time at the interstate tournament in 1933 and they won the Premiership for the third time running.

Margaret Peden attempted to organize a year book for women's cricket for 1933 but was unable to find support.

Margaret Peden was again selected as New South Wales captain for the 1934 interstate carnival, and was described as an all-rounder.

Nonetheless the English women's Association accepted the invitation and the tour was scheduled for December 1934, and Margaret Peden organized meetings with local clubs across New South Wales to canvas suggestions for the upcoming tour.

Margaret Peden achieved commendation for her play on the field in late March 1934 when she scored 59 for Kuring-gai in women's club cricket in an innings which included four fours.

Margaret Peden organized a cricket revue in June 1934 for the purpose of raising funds for the tour.

In September 1934 the women's cricket season opened with a special match to raise funds for the England tour with the Kuring-gai women's club, captained by Margaret Peden, playing a men's "Father's and Friends" team captained by Charlie Macartney, with Margaret Peden's side winning.

Margaret Peden captained NSW and she was in a position to secure a draw, but decided instead to declare NSW innings leaving the English half an hour to score 57 runs which they did successfully.

Margaret Peden was raised by her mother as an adherent of Christian Science.

Margaret Peden's England counterpart Betty Archdale was a Christian Scientist and their mothers had previously corresponded.

In 1935, Margaret Peden married Maurice Ranald Emanuel, who changed his surname to "Margaret Peden" by deed poll shortly before their wedding.

Margaret Peden died on 18 March 1981 in Roseville, New South Wales, aged 75.