Margaret (Marg) Jennings

"I have tried to provide opportunities for girls where there were no opportunities and get over to them that the boundaries are limitless provided we keep pushing away" - Marg Jennings

Marg Jennings' father used to set up fruit boxes as stumps, give his daughter a cricket bat and say to the neighbourhood boys, "I bet you can't get her out." It's a fair bet they could not, given Marg's outstanding skill as a cricketer.

She was appointed Australian captain in 1977 and achieved a World Cup victory as captain in 1978. Marg was also the first Australian female wicketkeeper to score a century and she coached the Victorian cricket team to win the open national championship in 1990-1991. She was coach of the Victorian Institute of Sport women's cricket squad, has been national chairperson of selectors since 1991 and received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

As well as her on-field exploits, Marg has provided strong leadership and mentoring to encourage women and girls to participate in sport: "One thing I like to get through to the kids is that if you really want it, go for it and opportunity will present itself."

While teaching at Aberfeldie Primary School Marg was annoyed when only the boys would play cricket for the school. "I took on coaching and got the girls in. We were the only ones to have girls in our school team. With a couple of the other teachers we set up a girls' team."

In the 1981-82 season, Marg established the Brunswick Park Ladies Cricket Club. "My father got a ground for us, and we tried to get kids down there to play." Brunswick Park has since become the most successful cricket club in the Victorian Women's Cricket Association.

By example and encouragement Marg has mentored many women to aspire and achieve positions that in the past were only available to men. This includes currently-held positions of Manager of the Australian Cricket Centre of Excellence (Belinda Clark) and radio and television commentator (Melanie Jones).

"We are taking little steps but there's still a long way to go. I would love to see women get equal opportunity within Cricket Australia and see Australian women on the stage with the men."