Ina Lamason

Ina Mabel Lamason, MBE, a former New Zealand Test captain, died in Auckland on April 30, two days before her 83rd birthday. She played for Wellington from 1932-54. A toe injury cost her a Test debut against England in 1935, and her debut was consequently postponed until NZ's next Test, which was 13 years later.

A non-Test tour of NSW coinciding with the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney and the 150th anniversary of British settlement in Australia saw her first play for and lead NZ, and in March 1948, Lamason led NZ at home in their first Test against Molly Dive's Australia, and a year later against Molly Hide's England team. Both resulted in innings defeats. From the Australian Test has derived the Dive-Lamason Cup for Under-23 internationals. Ina was one of Rona McKenzie's first NZ team to tour England, in 1954, who lost the first Test by six wickets and drew the other two. She topped the batting averages with 44, missing the first Test and batting low in the order for 7 at Worcester (where she took her only two Test wickets for 23) and 37 not out at The Oval, to finish with career Test figures of 103 runs at 25.75. She was assistant manager on NZ's 1966 tour of England and manager for the first World Cup, in 1973. She also played hockey for NZ, and wrote on both sports for the Herald. Born Ina Pickering, she married Jack Lamason, Wellington cricket and rugby captain, who wore the silver fern against the 1935-36 MCC team and toured England in 1937, without playing a Test. He died in 1961.
Wisden Cricket Monthly