Wilkie Wilkinson

Wisden Obituary
Wilkinson, Joan, who died in Foulridge on April 17, 2002, aged 83, played 13 Tests for England between 1948-49 and 1957-58. A duck on debut at the MCG did not augur well, but by the 1954 New Zealand series "Wilkie" Wilkinson was established at No. 3 and contributed 185 runs at 46.25. She struggled after that except when making a career-best 90 against New Zealand at Auckland in 1957-58 and finished with an average of 19.81 from 436 runs. Under five feet tall, she was exceptionally nimble around the crease for someone never the most mobile in the field. Her lack of inches had militated against her when she went to enlist in the WAAF in 1939, but such was her prowess in Lancashire sporting circles that she was called up two years later and became a cricket, hockey and PT instructor. Staying on in the WAAF after the war, Joan Wilkinson also represented Lancashire, North of England and Berkshire.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack