Photo Credit: Cricket NSW
Former Test stars Dirk Wellham and Michelle Goszko were confirmed as Cricket NSW Life Members at the association’s Annual General Meeting on Monday night.
Alongside Wellham and Goszko being bestowed with Life Membership at the meeting that was held for the first time at Cricket Central, the Hon Kevin Greene, Paul Marjoribanks, Neil Maxwell and Karen Robbins were all returned to the CNSW Board.
The two-year term for all four concluded, however Greene, Marjoribanks and Maxwell again had their nominations approved by the members, while Robbins was reappointed.
Wellham and Goszko, who both played Tests and Limited Overs Internationals for Australia, were honoured as the 227th and 228th Life Members of Cricket NSW.
A right-hand batsman, Wellham made his first-class debut in December 1980, scoring 100 against Victoria in Melbourne. He was a member of the Australian touring team to England in 1981, and on his Test debut, in the sixth Test, he scored 103 in the second innings. He was the first Australian to score a century on both his first-class and his Test debut.
In six Tests he scored 257 runs at 23.36 with the one century, and in 17 Limited-Over Internationals, 379 runs at 25.26 with a highest score of 97.
Wellham played 68 first-class matches for NSW, scoring 4297 runs at 44.29 with 9 centuries plus 25 half-centuries. He was 24 when appointed the captain of New South Wales in May 1983. He led New South Wales in a record 46 first-class matches for 14 wins against six losses, plus 26 draws. During his tenure, New South Wales won the Sheffield Shield in 1984/85 and 1985/86.
Under his leadership, New South Wales also won the McDonald Cup, the domestic one-day championship, in 1984/85.
Wellham surprised by retiring in October 1987, but returned to play for Tasmania in 1988/89 through 1990/91, and then Queensland from 1991/92 to 1993/94 inclusive. He captained both teams, becoming the first to captain three state teams in the Sheffield Shield.
Goszko is considered one of the modern-day pioneers of women’s cricket in NSW.
She was the first New South Wales batter, and the second NSW woman, to play 100 Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) matches. She had played in two matches for NSW in the Australian Women’s Championship in 1995-96 before amassing 101 WNCL appearances, scoring 2416 runs at 26.84, with 14 half-centuries and a highest score of 85.
In the first of her four test matches, Goszko came in at 2-21 against England in England in 2001. She scored 204 before she was the last out at 344. Her total equalled that of England’s two innings (103 + 101). Her score equalled the then world record and it remains the equal fifth highest, and the third highest for Australia.
Goszko played in 34 One Day Internationals, scoring 669 runs at 25.73 with a best of 51 not out. Her sole T20 International produced 9 offf 9 balls.
In a career stretching from 1995-96 to 2010-2011, Goszko played in 152 List A (Limited-over) matches, scoring 3566 runs at 27.43 with one century (116) plus 15 half-centuries.
In eight matches designated as first-class and scheduled for three days, Goszko scored 522 runs at 47.45 with one century, her 204 in the test match, plus four half-centuries, one being 92 for Australia against England A in England in 1998. She had scored 65 and 52 for Australia Under-23 against New Zealand Under-23 in New Zealand in February 1996.
Cricket NSW Chairman John Knox paid tribute to both Wellham and Goszko.
“Dirk and Michelle were both significant on-field contributors to cricket in New South Wales and thoroughly deserve their Life Memberships,” Knox said.
“While their on-field achievements have been well documented, they have also made generous contributions with their time and knowledge off the field to help inspire more people to play and love cricket.
“We congratulate them and more importantly thank them.”
Name of Author: Cricket NSW
Cricket NSW, officially the New South Wales Cricket Association, is the governing body for cricket in New South Wales, Australia. Based at Sydney Olympic Park, it oversees the New South Wales Blues, New South Wales Breakers, Sydney Thunder, and Sydney Sixers.
