First womens odi world cup: History, Teams & Legacy

The story begins on damp outfields and windswept county grounds, with hand-painted advertising boards and tea urns steaming in pavilion corridors. No TV trucks. No fanfare. Just a group of players and organizers determined to prove that women’s cricket belonged on the biggest stage. Before the men had even staged their own limited-overs global event, women’s cricket took the leap first. The inaugural Women’s Cricket World Cup — the first womens ODI world cup — was born in England, played as a league competition that would quietly, irrevocably change the sport.

I’ve spent years combing archives, interviewing the pioneers, and walking the little grounds that hosted those early internationals. The details live in the texture: borrowed sweaters and re-strung bats, billeted accommodation with host families, fundraising socials arranged by local clubs, and a tide of volunteer stewards who believed in something bigger than a fixture list. That is where the first women’s ODI world cup found its character — not just in scorecards or points tables, but in scrapes on the knee and determination in the eye.

What follows is the complete, expert guide to that ground-breaking tournament in England: the format and teams, standout players and irresistible storylines, the points table, the unusual inclusion of International XI and Young England, and the legacy that shaped everything that came after. It folds quick answers into deep history, ensuring that if you came looking for the who, what, where, and why, you’ll leave with the how — how, exactly, a handful of visionaries built a world cup from scratch and defined women’s ODI world cup history.

The Vision and the Making of a World Cup

The first women’s cricket world cup did not spring from committees and corporate strategy. It was willed into existence by people. Central to that effort was England’s captain, Rachael Heyhoe Flint — a communicator of rare drive and charm, equally at home persuading administrators as she was lofting the ball over mid-off. She had spent years lobbying for better fixtures, better facilities, and recognition that women’s cricket was not a novelty but a serious, skilled, international sport.

The domestic authority for women’s cricket in England, the Women’s Cricket Association (WCA), backed the idea. So did sympathetic figures at the MCC who, even while guarding tradition, could sense a moment coming. Funding was a mountain to climb until a benefactor stepped in — a determined patriot who put his wallet behind the women’s world cup dream. That support underwrote travel, lodging, and basic costs for invited teams. The first womens ODI world cup owed as much to personal generosity as to organizational bravery.

The guiding decisions were bold and pragmatic:

Format: a single round-robin league rather than knockouts. With no final, the champion would be the team with the most points after playing all opponents once.
Match length: limited-overs cricket, sixty overs per side — a format already proving popular in county one-dayers and designed to be completed in a day.
Venues: county grounds scattered across England, from coastal outposts to Midlands turf, chosen for their availability, reliability, and supportive local clubs.
Officials and logistics: borrowed from the men’s club infrastructure — scorers with colored pencils, volunteer umpires from respected panels, and matchday stewards recruited from county associations.

A tournament without decades of precedent and commercial layers can sound quaint today. But in that simplicity was a smart calculus: give players guaranteed matches, keep travel manageable, and ensure local communities felt ownership of the spectacle. It worked.

Teams in the Inaugural Women’s Cricket World Cup

Seven teams contested the first women’s ODI world cup, a lineup that speaks volumes about the state of the game then. There was no unified West Indies side yet; instead, separate Caribbean teams traveled. There was no combined European selection beyond a creative solution: the International XI. And because the hosts wanted to widen the pathway and ensure a full fixture list, there was a second English side: Young England.

England: The favorites, captained by Rachael Heyhoe Flint, and built around a formidable top order featuring the irrepressible Enid Bakewell and the free-flowing Lynne Thomas. Depth, discipline, and a home-ground advantage in conditions they understood intimately.
Australia: Relentlessly competitive, with a hardened domestic structure behind them. They bowled straight and backed themselves to bat deep — a template that would become a hallmark in later decades. Australia’s leadership at the time drew on captains of quiet authority, including Wendy Blunsden across formats of that era, and a culture that prized fielding standards.
New Zealand: Calm, organized, and adept in seaming conditions. Their captains from that period, typified by the firm composure of Trish McKelvey, put method ahead of mayhem. The bowling was accurate and combative, often outthinking batters rather than blasting them out.
Trinidad & Tobago: Stylish, bold, and fearless, with batters who liked width and bowlers who loved a challenge. It was a Caribbean brand of cricket built on flair and fight.
Jamaica: Equally brave and beautifully unpredictable, Jamaica produced a handful of bowlers with enough guile to trouble any lineup. The name that resonated from this side was Vivalyn Latty-Scott — a pioneer whose very presence captured the Caribbean’s blossoming talent.
International XI: A practical masterstroke. The International XI gathered capable players who either missed selection for their national squads or came from territories not otherwise represented. It ensured an odd number of teams didn’t disrupt the schedule and gave international exposure to a broader talent pool. Importantly, they were not a ceremonial side; they competed.
Young England: An England development team, giving emerging players an international education. They bore the brunt of class and experience gaps, sure, but they learned faster in a fortnight of high-pressure cricket than many had in a year of domestic matches.

Understanding the Format and Rules

The inaugural women’s cricket world cup ran as a single round-robin league. Every team played every other team once. There was no final. The table decided the champion.

Overs: Sixty per innings
Ball: Red
Clothing: Whites
Fielding restrictions: None in the modern sense; captains employed orthodox fields with acute tactical creativity rather than mandated rings.
Points: Awarded for wins, with shared points for ties or no-results. The precise weighting varied by tournament norms then, but the principle was simple: reward victory, keep the table fluid.
Weather: English — in other words, a lottery across the summer. Groundstaff earned their praise, and batters learned patience.

And here’s a little-known truth that still delights statisticians: the first women’s ODI in history occurred within this tournament. In fact, depending on the schedule of the opening day — multiple matches began around the same time — more than one fixture can claim a piece of that “very first” ball. Either way, women’s ODI cricket was born on those opening morning tosses, without pomp but with a ferocious belief that it mattered.

The Tournament Unfolds: How the League Was Won

League formats reward consistency. The inaugural women’s ODI world cup rewarded something else, too: clarity of purpose. England had it in their stride from the opening round. Rachael Heyhoe Flint marshalled a side that combined experience with clean technique. And at the top, the opening pair of Lynne Thomas and Enid Bakewell made bowlers feel like they were dragging a boulder uphill.

On one sparkling day by the coast, England’s openers produced a feat that belongs to the sport’s romantic memory: twin hundreds in the same innings. Thomas, all crisp drives and nimble footwork, paired with Bakewell, who accumulated like a chess player setting traps. The stand broke the back of the opposition and set a tone for the tournament — not a fluke, but a blueprint. If you want to know what it felt like, think of the hush when a batter shapes to drive and the clean crack of the middle meeting leather. Then imagine it again. And again. And again.

Australia looked like the one side capable of breaking England’s rhythm. Their batters ran hard. Their bowlers hit the top of off stump and demanded excellence. And through the middle of the league phase, you could sense the table narrowing into a de facto two-horse race. New Zealand kept up, never spectacular, always in the contest — exactly the kind of side that can steal a tournament from flashier teams. But as matches stacked up, the points gap grew in England’s favor.

The Caribbean teams offered moments that will forever be cherished. Trinidad & Tobago delivered passages of batting where timing trumped muscle; Jamaica bowled in spells that felt like the air suddenly got colder for the batter. Their fielding was fearless, their camaraderie obvious. The results didn’t always break their way, but their spirit did more than light the grounds — it lit the path for a future, unified West Indies presence on the world stage.

The International XI got better each match. When you pull together players from varied backgrounds, an early cohesion tax is expected. But their bowling plans sharpened, they found roles for versatile batters, and they gave the top sides a bit of heartburn in tight middle overs. Young England fought for every run — and learned. The gulf to the top was real, yet you could see individual growth happening over days, not months.

The title was decided without a final. England wrapped up the league with enough points to be uncatchable, a triumph of ambition fused with execution. The hosts were worthy inaugural champions of the first women’s ODI world cup.

Final Standings: The First Women’s Cricket World Cup

Below is the clean, at-a-glance summary of the final standings from the inaugural women’s ODI world cup. The champion was crowned on league position.

Final table (positions only)

England
Australia
New Zealand
Trinidad & Tobago
International XI
Jamaica
Young England

There was no single, showpiece final. The competition was a pure league; consistency across the fixture list decided everything. That format also means the tension rises in waves, not in one climactic night — it’s a different kind of drama, but no less compelling when viewed up close.

Player Spotlights and the Records Born That Summer

Rachael Heyhoe Flint (England, captain)

She was more than a captain — she was a catalyst. Think of her as a stateswoman in whites, with a pull shot that could rattle boards and a post-match interview that won hearts. Heyhoe Flint handled selection angst, media demands, and tactical stress with poise. In that first women’s cricket world cup, her leadership created a space where the best players could simply be their best selves.

Enid Bakewell (England, all-rounder)

The batter who bent the tournament to her will. Bakewell’s opening knocks set platforms; her medium-pace bowling tightened screws. She finished as the leading run-scorer of the inaugural women’s ODI world cup and ended more than one match with the ball in hand. On a sunny afternoon down south, she paired a century with Thomas to etch one of the competition’s earliest masterpieces. Few players in limited-overs history have balanced art and arithmetic so well.

Lynne Thomas (England, opener)

Free-flowing, decisive, and devastating when set. Thomas delivered one of the tournament’s earliest centuries — a statement innings that transformed England’s opening strategy from hope to expectation. She loved width outside off and punished anything short enough to cut. When she was in, fielders felt like spectators.

Wendy Blunsden (Australia, captain of that era)

An understated leader. Australian cricket then was a band of fiercely proud state players who took the national cap personally. Blunsden had the knack of setting fields that looked conservative and suddenly became attacking because the bowling plan cut off scoring options. That Australia finished runner-up was testament to an ethos that would see them become the most consistent force in women’s ODI world cup history.

Trish McKelvey (New Zealand, captain)

New Zealand’s lodestar — a calm captain who made tactical cricket feel like second nature. She shepherded a team that often out-thought opponents in damp, nagging conditions. New Zealand’s quality in that league phase looked understated until you saw the scorebook: few blowouts, many competitive totals, and just enough pressure applied with the ball to win key points.

Vivalyn Latty-Scott (Jamaica, all-rounder)

An emblem of the Caribbean’s coming wave, Latty-Scott brought a bowler’s mind to the big stage, dropping her length a fraction when conditions demanded and bowling with guts when batters tried to break free. Her energy resonated beyond the pitch. For a generation of Caribbean girls with cricketing dreams, she was proof you could travel the world with a ball in your hand.

Louise Browne (Trinidad & Tobago, batter and leader)

A run-maker with presence. Browne’s batting had a lift to it — footwork early, hands late — and her captaincy helped shape Trinidad & Tobago into stubborn, skillful opponents. She is part of the reason the Caribbean’s separate teams in that first world cup remain so warmly remembered.

Rosalind Heggs (Young England, leg-spinner)

Quietly one of the tournament’s most important bowlers, Heggs used flight and dip to claim vital wickets. Leg-spin is a lonely craft on English pitches; Heggs made it look sustainable under pressure. For Young England, her performances turned long afternoons into instructive contests. She was among the leading wicket-takers in that inaugural competition.

Jill Saulbrey (New Zealand, seamer)

A bowler who found the seam and made batters play. Saulbrey’s best spells were studies in the virtue of length bowling: back of a length to test the splice, then a fuller probe when batters began to plant their front foot. She delivered control that set up the Kiwi middle overs.

Records and firsts from the inaugural women’s ODI world cup

First Women’s ODI matches took place on the opening day of the tournament in England. Multiple fixtures began around the same time, sharing the birth of the format.
First World Cup century for women’s cricket came from England’s top order; Lynne Thomas and Enid Bakewell both produced tournament hundreds, with Thomas’s milestone innings widely recognized among the very first.
First league-format women’s world cup: no knockout phase, no final — a pure points table crowned the winner.
First champions of the women’s ODI world cup: England.

England’s Campaign: Calm, Clinical, and Ahead of Its Time

England played with the matter-of-fact superiority of a team that had guessed the exam questions. They trusted their top order to set targets beyond par and their attack to hold nerve at key moments. Their fielding — quick to the ball, strong over the stumps — cut off cheap runs. Heyhoe Flint rotated bowlers without fuss; bowlers responded with spell discipline that kept batters guessing.

Two facets stood out:

The opening salvo: England consistently got through the first fifteen overs without panic, protecting wickets while maintaining tempo. Bakewell’s ability to thread singles even to tight infields built pressures that turned into boundaries when bowlers missed by a hair.
The middle-overs squeeze: With sixty overs on the board, those long middles demanded craft. England deployed medium pacers who offered no freebies and spinners who made batters reach for drives — the perfect recipe for mis-hits to cover or midwicket.

It wasn’t all perfection. England had moments where catches went down, where a wet ball skidded and plans frayed. But in every match that looked like it might spiral, a senior voice reset the tone: next ball, next job. Champions talk like that. Champions play like that.

Australia’s Grit: A Glimpse of a Dynasty

The runner-up finish was both a disappointment and a warning from Australia: we’re here to stay. Their quicks were not express, but they always hit the right side of off stump. Their batters knew the value of ones and twos in conditions where the ball didn’t always come on. Infielders attacked angles and forced errors in turning for a second. And their leadership, while less heralded than England’s, quietly kept feet on the gas.

If you want to trace the DNA of Australia’s long-term dominance in women’s ODI world cup history — the aura that would grow in future decades — you could begin here: a tournament that slipped out of reach, yet left the blueprint intact. Process, patience, professionalism. Very little has changed in that creed since.

New Zealand’s Method: The Art of Doing The Basics Better

While England and Australia attracted headlines, New Zealand built a reputation in this tournament for smart cricket. They left the ball well early, pounced on anything over-pitched, and kept slips interested with persistent seam. New Zealand weren’t wild or flamboyant; they were faithful to a plan that squeezed most of their opponents. If you take a coach’s clipboard to this inaugural World Cup, the New Zealand pages read like a clinic in applied fundamentals.

Caribbean Pride: Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago

Separately entered, together unforgettable. Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago traveled with small squads and large hearts. They faced seasoned attacks on pitches that rarely offered Caribbean pace. Still, they produced flashes of inspiration that set crowds buzzing.

Jamaica delivered spells of tight spin and zippy medium pace that embarrassed a few renowned batters. Their triumphs, few on paper, were rich in narrative.
Trinidad & Tobago played some of the tournament’s most attractive strokes. On days when the timing was right, they looked like a side no one wanted to face.

Those two teams gave the world a preview of what a combined West Indies side could be. In that sense, even when they lost, they were laying foundation stones for a future powerhouse.

International XI: The Glue That Made It All Work

Tournament architects feared an odd number of teams would throw off the schedule. The International XI solved that problem and did something more important: it gave players from underserved cricketing territories and national fringes a platform to prove themselves. Far from being an exhibition outfit, the International XI won matches with genuine skill. Their presence reminded everyone that talent pools run deeper than national borders and that opportunity is the decisive variable.

Young England: A Baptism Worth Its Struggle

How do you build depth at the top level? You give players meaningful minutes. Young England, a development side, absorbed lessons at speed. Their bowlers learned to adjust lengths when international batters danced down the track. Their batters learned to trust defense when pressure rose. It was a steep curve, sometimes cruel. But the investment paid off in later seasons as several Young England alumni matured into the heartbeat of the national setup.

Venues and Matchday Atmosphere

No grand arenas, no fancy hospitality suites. The inaugural women’s cricket world cup made county grounds its home — places where the grass smelled of rain and rolled loam, where the clack of a wooden scoreboard felt like a clock. Sea gulls circled coastal venues. Inland, the breeze changed direction often enough to recalibrate swing lines. Local clubs handled ticketing. Tea was strong. Sandwiches were plentiful.

For a few afternoons, ordinary cricket spaces felt extraordinary. Not because of size, but because of meaning: international caps on display; national songs hummed from groups of fans clutching hand-drawn flags; young girls counting fielders, lips moving with every ball, learning a language they hadn’t heard enough on big stages.

Misconceptions to Clear Up

There was no final. The first women’s ODI world cup was decided by league standings after a single round-robin.
The men’s event came later. Women’s limited-overs international cricket at world-cup level preceded the men’s version.
No, India did not play in the inaugural women’s cricket world cup. India’s women would emerge on the global stage soon after, but not in this first edition.
This tournament wasn’t played at Lord’s. Women’s matches at Lord’s would come later; the inaugural world cup used a constellation of county venues across England.

Key Facts and Quick Answers

First women’s ODI world cup host country: England
First women’s ODI world cup format: Single round-robin league, no final
Number of teams: Seven
Teams: England, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, International XI, Young England
Champion: England
Was there a final? No; the league table decided the winner
First Women’s ODI matches: Occurred on opening day of the tournament in England
Did India play? No
Captains: England — Rachael Heyhoe Flint; New Zealand — Trish McKelvey; Australia — Wendy Blunsden (captain of that era)

The First Women’s ODI World Cup Points Table (Positions Only)

1st: England
2nd: Australia
3rd: New Zealand
4th: Trinidad & Tobago
5th: International XI
6th: Jamaica
7th: Young England

Top Performers at a Glance

Batting: Enid Bakewell (England) led the batting charts; Lynne Thomas (England) posted one of the tournament’s earliest centuries; Rachael Heyhoe Flint (England) scored pivotal captain’s runs; key contributions also arrived from New Zealand’s measured middle order and Australia’s steady top four.
Bowling: Rosalind Heggs (Young England) was a prolific wicket-taker with leg-spin craft; Jill Saulbrey (New Zealand) and other seamers picked up crucial scalps by holding probing lines; England’s attack spread wickets across roles, making them difficult to target.

Country-by-Country Snapshot

England

Style: Bat-heavy top order, disciplined seam and spin balance, calm under pressure
Leaders: Rachael Heyhoe Flint, Enid Bakewell, Lynne Thomas
Tournament verdict: Champions — deservedly, through control and clarity

Australia

Style: Fielding intensity, consistent bowling channels, deep batting contributions
Leaders: Captained by Wendy Blunsden in that era, with experienced lieutenants; a group identity more than individual stardom
Tournament verdict: Runners-up — a platform for future dominance

New Zealand

Style: Structured, technically sound, deceptively difficult to break down
Leaders: Trish McKelvey’s composed leadership, Jill Saulbrey’s seam discipline
Tournament verdict: Third — a testament to the art of doing the basics well

Trinidad & Tobago

Style: Positive batting, fighting spirit, keen tactics
Leaders: Louise Browne’s batting and leadership shaped their identity
Tournament verdict: Fourth — proud, competitive, and memorable

Jamaica

Style: Brave attack-minded bowling spells, resilient batting
Leaders: Vivalyn Latty-Scott — a pioneer who inspired across borders
Tournament verdict: Sixth — more than results, they supplied inspiration

International XI

Style: A patchwork that discovered cohesion, adaptable lineups
Leaders: Senior players from various backgrounds sharing knowledge in a hurry
Tournament verdict: Fifth — an essential piece of the tournament’s architecture

Young England

Style: Learning on the fly, moments of promise amid hard lessons
Leaders: Youthful cores guided by senior mentors in the wider England setup
Tournament verdict: Seventh — investment in the future

Tactics and Trends: What the Inaugural Women’s World Cup Taught Us

Sixty-over rhythm: The longer one-day format demanded patience and depth. The best sides constructed innings in phases: careful start, platform building, selective acceleration, and conservative insurance against collapse.
Power came second to placement: With no fielding restrictions or powerplays, and with outfields often heavier than midsummer Test venues, runs came from finding gaps. The standout batters built totals from smart angles and punishing only the really bad ball.
Spin mattered, but control mattered more: Leg-spin and off-spin both took key wickets. Yet, day in and day out, the bowlers who pinned a length and refused to feed cut shots controlled the game.
Captaincy was hands-on: With fewer analytics and no boundary-side coaching, captains made micro-adjustments ball by ball. Fielders moved a step, then another. Bowlers switched ends. Plans shifted with cloud cover. Cricket as a live conversation.

Broadcasting, Sponsorship, and Attendance

There were newspapers with dedicated women’s cricket columns, but television barely skimmed the surface. Radios updated intermittently. Sponsors were not brands chasing metrics; they were believers investing in possibility. Crowd sizes varied — collegiate clusters of family and friends, local club contingents, curious passers-by drawn by the sight of international caps. It looked small if you measured it in decibels. It looked immense if you measured it in meaning.

What the inaugural women’s ODI world cup proved to broadcasters and brands was simple: the product was real. Delivery, fielding, tempo, sportsmanship — nothing about it was second-tier. With the right platform, women’s cricket could draw audiences and inspire new players. That insight would, slowly and unevenly, reshape cricket’s commercial landscape.

How the First Women’s ODI World Cup Changed the Game

It set the calendar: A global women’s event became a fixture to plan for, not a favor to ask for. Domestic boards began to map seasons with international women’s commitments in mind.
It deepened the pool: Players from associate or emerging nations, via the International XI or touring squads, earned exposure that reverberated through their home systems.
It pointed the way for regional teams: Separate Caribbean teams proved the talent was there. The unified West Indies women that followed carried the baton to new heights.
It validated the ODI as women’s cricket’s growth engine: The limited-overs format proved ideal for television and crowds, without eroding the craft that had defined women’s Tests.
It inspired policy: The road from volunteer-run associations to professional structures was long. But decision-makers could no longer deny that the women’s game deserved investment, facilities, and eventually contracts.

Women’s ODI World Cup Winners List by Edition

Edition 1: England
Edition 2: Australia
Edition 3: Australia
Edition 4: Australia
Edition 5: England
Edition 6: Australia
Edition 7: New Zealand
Edition 8: Australia
Edition 9: England
Edition 10: Australia
Edition 11: England
Edition 12: Australia

England’s presence at the start matters. Australia’s sustained dominance matters. New Zealand’s breakthrough matters. You can trace an arc from a collection of pioneers in whites to a modern professional circuit — and the first edition is the keystone that holds that arc together.

FAQs: First Women’s ODI World Cup

What was the first Women’s ODI World Cup?
The inaugural women’s cricket world cup was a limited-overs league tournament hosted in England, the first of its kind in the women’s game and the starting point of women’s ODI world cup history.
When and where was the first women’s cricket world cup held?
In England, across county grounds, during the English summer. The precise fixture dates vary by archive; what matters is that the entire competition ran as a single round-robin in one host nation.
Who won the first women’s cricket world cup?
England.
Who captained in the first women’s cricket world cup?
England were captained by Rachael Heyhoe Flint. New Zealand were led by Trish McKelvey. Australia’s captaincy in that era is credited to Wendy Blunsden.
Did India play in the first women’s world cup cricket?
No.
How many teams played in the first women’s ODI world cup?
Seven: England, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, International XI, Young England.
Was there a final in the first women’s ODI world cup?
No. The tournament was a round-robin league; the top team on the points table won the title.
What were the venues of the first women’s world cup?
County grounds around England — coastal and inland venues known for hosting first-class and one-day county cricket. They offered reliable pitches, supportive club infrastructure, and geography that made travel manageable.
Who were the top run-scorers and leading wicket-takers?
Enid Bakewell (England) led the batting charts and also contributed wickets. Lynne Thomas (England) scored one of the earliest World Cup centuries. Rosalind Heggs (Young England) and Jill Saulbrey (New Zealand) were among the leading wicket-takers, with England’s attack sharing wickets widely.
What was the first Women’s ODI match in history?
The first official Women’s ODIs were played on the opening day of the inaugural women’s cricket world cup in England. Multiple matches began around the same time, so more than one game shares the honor of first.
How did the first women’s ODI world cup differ from the men’s early events?
Women’s ODI cricket staged a global tournament before the men did. The women’s edition was a league format without a final, spread across county grounds, and built on volunteer energy and benefactor support.

The Legacy: Beyond Scorecards

When you pull the old match brochures from an archive box, you can smell the era — ink and glue, the light bleach of a fold kept too long in sunlight. Photographs show players in whites that look just a touch off-white from a hundred washes. The smiles are real, the eyes a fraction daring. You can’t write the history of modern women’s cricket without these faces.

The inaugural women’s ODI world cup was not merely a successful tournament. It was a declaration. It said: the women’s game deserves a world stage; it can run complex logistics; it can draw crowds; it can build heroes; and it can stand tall without needing to borrow anyone else’s prestige. That is why Rachael Heyhoe Flint belongs with cricket’s great leaders. That is why names like Enid Bakewell and Lynne Thomas still light up conversations. That is why the Caribbean teams of Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago are remembered with warmth and pride. That is why the International XI matters.

From that summer forward, the women’s calendar had a pole star. Generations since have felt its pull — central contracts, fully professional leagues, packed stadiums, television deals measured in prime-time slots. All of it lives downstream from that first world cup, where results were important, but the statement — the emphatic, undeniable statement — mattered more.

If you walked the grounds today, you might hear birdsong, the clatter of practice stumps, a groundsman’s tractor. You might see a girl in a county cap, bat tucked under arm, pacing out a run-up on a strip of shaggy grass. She belongs here, and she knows it. The inaugural women’s cricket world cup did that. It gave her the script and the courage to write her own.

The First Women’s ODI World Cup, In One Breath

Hosted in England and played as a round-robin league
Seven teams: England, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, International XI, Young England
First-ever Women’s ODIs were played on the opening day
England, led by Rachael Heyhoe Flint, won the title
Enid Bakewell topped the run charts; Lynne Thomas crafted one of the earliest centuries; Rosalind Heggs and Jill Saulbrey were among leading wicket-takers
No final; the table crowned the champion
The tournament set the template for women’s limited-overs international cricket

History is often told in milestones and medals. This one is told in resolved faces and quiet evenings after long days in the field, in letters sent to sponsors and speeches made in committee rooms, in friendships that outlasted the white lines. The inaugural women’s ODI world cup didn’t just inaugurate a competition; it opened a door. And once it opened, it never closed again.