From Wellington in New South Wales, Marie Lutschini is a former Test and ODI off spinner for Australia and a member of two winning World Cup teams.
Born on 1st October 1956 in Wellington, New South Wales, Marie Janice Cornish (nee Lustchini) was primarily an off-spin bowler who could certainly swing a bat. She scored some vital runs for Australia in the lower order, her best 55 not out in a match saving partnership with Raelee Thompson against New Zealand in an ODI in 1982. Coming together at 6/58 the pair put on 65 runs for the seventh wicket. Australia won the match and it was entirely due to that partnership.
Marie made her Test debut in May 1976 at the age of nineteen when the Australians toured West Indies in what would be the first Test match for the hosts, all eleven players making their debut also at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay. The first three West Indies wickets read thus: stumped Jennings bowled Lutschini.
The youngster picket up 4-41 in the first Test and then 5-51 in the second Test, making her the youngest bowler to ever take a five wicket haul in a Women’s Test to that date. Marie would play a total of nine Tests taking 25 wickets at 20.12.
Marie’s ODI debut came in August 1976 against England, her first wicket future Test captain Janet Southgate. Her second ODI on the 4th August was at Lords, the first match ever played by women at that ground. She wouldn’t see any more ODI action until the 1977/78 World Cup, the first of two tournaments including the 1981/82 series.
In 16 ODIs Marie took 16 wickets at 17.06 with a best of 3-22 against the International XI at Palmerston North in the 1981/82 World Cup. She scored 147 runs at 24.50 with her top score the aforementioned 55 not out at that same tournament.
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