In 1988, Australia hosted nationwide celebrations to mark two hundred years of the first arrival of Europeans in the country. The inaugural Under-19 World Cup was part of these Bicentenary Celebrations, as were the fourth Women’s World Cup, six years after the third edition. Australia won the Shell Bicentennial Women’s World Cup to complete a hat-trick of trophies.
There were five teams this time. The usual participants – Australia, England, and New Zealand – were joined by Ireland and the Netherlands. India, who had hosted in 1978 and participated in both 1978 and 1982, had to opt out due to lack of funds. The five teams played in a double round-robin league format.
Australia began the tournament by piling up 284/1. Both the team total and Lindsay Reeler’s 143 not out were world records at this point. They then demolished the Netherlands for 29, at that point the lowest score in the format. The 255-run margin was also a record. Five days later, New Zealand broke Australia’s record by amassing 297/5, also against the Dutch.
Over the course of the tournament, Australia lost a match against their first World Cup match since 1973, against England by 15 runs. It remained their only defeat of the edition. England (six wins) edged past New Zealand (five) to make it to the final, while Ireland beat the Netherlands in both matches.
There was a third-place match, at the Richmond Cricket Ground in Melbourne. New Zealand beat the Netherlands here by 70 runs without breaking a sweat.
The final, the first women’s cricket match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since 1949, was played in front of only 3,000 people. Despite overnight rain, England batted first, and never got going. England crawled to 127/7 in 60 overs. Jan Brittin top-scored with an unbeaten 46, but she took 108 balls.
Australia became 14/2 in response, but Reeler (59*) and Denise Annetts (48*) ensured an eight-wicket win. With 448 runs at 149.33, Reeler finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Lyn Fullston, whose 5-28 against the Netherlands was the only five-wicket haul of the edition, took 3-29 in the final, and ended with 16 wickets at 11.87 – four more than anyone else’s tally.
The Player of the Tournament award, however, went to Carole Hodges, who got 336 runs (at 42) and 12 wickets (at 10.87). The trophy was donated by R&A Bailey.
Final: England 127/7 in 50 overs (Jan Brittin 46*; Lyn Larsen 2-22) lost to Australia 129/2 in 44.5 overs (Lindsay Reeler 59*; Jo Chamberlain 1-23) by 8 wickets with 31 balls to spare.
Australia won the World Cup. Player of the Tournament: Carole Hodges.
Most runs: Lindsay Reeler (Australia, 448). Debbie Hockley (New Zealand, 446), Nicki Turner (New Zealand, 342)
Most wickets: Lyn Fullston (Australia, 16), Karen Brown (Australia, 12), Carole Hodges (England, 12)