Sportsperson: Meghann Moira Lanning (25 March 1992 - ) : Cricketer

Introduction

Meghann Moira Lanning (born 25 March 1992) is an Australian cricketer who currently captains the national women's team. She has been a member of five successful world championship campaigns, winning one Women's Cricket World Cup and four ICC Women's World Twenty20 titles. Lanning holds the record for the most Women's One Day International centuries and is the first Australian to score 2,000 Twenty20 International runs. Domestically, she is the captain of Victoria in the Women's National Cricket League and the Melbourne Stars in the Women's Big Bash League.

In January 2022, in the one-off Women's Test match as part of the Women's Ashes against England, Lanning became just the third cricketer after England's Charlotte Edwards and India's Mithali Raj to captain her side in 150 women's international matches.

Education

Lanning was born in Singapore to father Wayne, a banker, and mother Sue. Her family shortly thereafter relocated to the Sydney suburb of Thornleigh, where she attended Warrawee Public School. Lanning began playing organised cricket at the age of ten, following a suggestion from her teacher to try out for a regional team. She went on to represent New South Wales at primary school level alongside several future Australian team mates, including Ellyse Perry.

Ahead of her first year at high school, Lanning's family uprooted again, moving to the Melbourne suburb of Kew. She attended Carey Baptist Grammar School and, at 14 years of age, made headlines by becoming the first girl to play First XI cricket for an Associated Public Schools team.

Lanning completed a Bachelor's degree in Exercise and Health Science at the Australian Catholic University, graduating in 2019.

Meg talks with Sara Coen (InSIGHT Magazine) about her leadership in Cricket:

"Exercise and health science graduate, Meg Lanning, made history when she became the youngest national captain in the history of Australian cricket. She talks to Sara Coen about Ricky Ponting, her studies and the challenges of 'camp'.

Despite staying in a prime location, amidst beaches, vineyards and rolling hills, Meg Lanning's recent trip to Perth was no holiday. She didn't even pack her togs. She was there to play cricket for Australia in the women's Ashes series.

Meg, 21, is the newly-appointed vice-captain of the Australian women's cricket team, the Southern Stars. She recently stepped into the lead role after captain Jodie Fields was injured, making her the youngest ever Australian cricket captain, male or female."

Southern Stars

Meg started playing cricket in the backyard when she was 10, and then at school before joining her local club. She made her domestic debut for Victoria in 2008 at the age of 16 and quickly settled into top order. In December 2012 at the age of 20 she broke the record for the fastest 50 and fastest 100 in a One Day International by an Australian female cricketer.

"In cricket circles, ‘camp' is the week-long preparation period prior to a series. It's time to put the bat down and think strategically about the game," said Meg.

The women's Ashes series commenced in Perth on January 10 with a Test match; followed by three one-day matches and three Twenty20 games across Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. The Southern Stars went into camp on January 4 just three days after playing in the final two rounds of the women's national league. It was Meg's stellar performance in that competition which earned her the vice-captaincy."

Did You Know? The Ashes is the notional prize in a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The Ashes are regarded as being held by the team that won the last Test series between those sides or, if that series was drawn, by the team that last won such a series. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, their first Test win on English soil. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The mythical ashes immediately became associated with the 1882–83 series played in Australia, before which the English captain Ivo Bligh had vowed to "regain those ashes". The English media therefore dubbed the tour the quest to regain the Ashes. (Source: Wikipedia)

"Camp can be frustrating as I really want to be out there playing," she said. "But I know that when I put in the hard yards off the pitch, it pays off."

The week in Perth before the series was dedicated to tactical meetings with Southern Stars players and support staff – including coaches, media managers and strength and conditioning trainers. They met formally each day to take a critical look at individual players from the opposing teams to identify their key strengths and weaknesses.

"The aim was to try to find ways to get them out, and to prevent them from scoring," said Meg. "For example, one of the captains from another team was strong on the leg side so we made a decision to bowl outside of stump to throw her off.

"As opening batter for the series, the pressure was on me to set the tone for the innings. My personal strategy was to stay on the crease as long as possible and to put the opposition on the back foot early on.

"Batting is definitely my strength, but it can be quite frustrating too. You have to ride with it. When the runs are easy, you make the most of it while you can, while you're on a roll. 

"I think a lot of my strategy comes from watching cricket. Growing up, my cricket idol was Ricky Ponting and I watched him throughout his entire career. He batted in a similar position to me and I loved the way he batted. He has been a massive influence in the way I've developed my own batting style.

"Strategy is good to a certain degree, but overthinking things can be detrimental to my game. I am a true believer in keeping it simple. When I play, there is no time to think. I just have to be in the zone.

"The first 50 over game in Hobart was a team highlight of the Ashes series. There was a big partnership at the end between Ellyse Perry and Erin Osborne that got us over the line. We looked like we were going to lose it, and then we made a comeback right at the last minute."

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Meg stepped in as Southern Stars captain for the first time and was captain throughout the entire shorter format series.

Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world. There have been countless memorable cricket moments at the MCG since the first Test in 1877. Many records have been created at cricket matches at the MCG. Take a look through a history of cricket at the MCG that has seen just about everything… •The world record first-class score (1107 - Victoria v NSW, 1926); •The First Test match (Australia v England, 1877); •First century in Test cricket (Charles Bannerman); •World’s first cricket scoreboard showing batsman’s name and method of dismissal; •First full-colour cricket scoreboard with instant replays, •The first major stadium to use “Super Sopper” to dry surface; and •The world’s first one-day international cricket match (January 5, 1971) (Source: MCG)

"It was tough trying to focus on my own game and lead by example at the same time. But I think the biggest challenge of the series for the team was switching between the Test Match and T20 formats. They are both incredibly different so it can be hard to adapt.

"I'm from Melbourne so to have all my family and friends there to cheer me on as I stepped in was the ultimate high. My family have always been incredibly supportive of my cricket career.

"My younger sister, Anna, plays cricket in the Victorian state squad so batting could be in the genes. I hope she gets her baggy green one day."

Did You Know? What is the Baggy Green? Greg Chappell's baggy green worn by Greg in the 1982/83 Season (Source: National Museum of Australia) The baggy green is a cricket cap of green colour, which has been worn by Australian Test cricketers since around the turn of the twentieth century. The cap was not originally baggy as evidenced by photographs of early players. The cap has long been a symbol of national pride in Australia, and was described by the chief executive of the MCC as the "most famous cricket cap in the world". (Source: Wikipedia) In its early days the Australian cricket cap varied from season to season, tour to tour. But as the young colony developed a unique identity and headed towards Federation at the beginning of the 20th century, the baggy green cap took shape. By the turn of the 21st century it had become a national icon – a symbol of Australian sporting excellence and a highly sought after item of memorabilia. (Source: The Baggy Green)

Anna Lanning is also studying a degree in exercise and health science, a year below Meg. Both sisters are part of ACU's Elite Athletes Program which helps them balance sport and study.

"Cricket is a big part of my life and it has opened up a lot of doors for me, but it's important to have a career outside cricket. I plan to continue working in sport when I retire from cricket and my degree will help keep that career path on track."

To get a baggy green is something all cricketers strive for and Meg is no exception.

"It's my most treasured possession – and when I'm not playing cricket I keep it in my bedside drawer so it won't get lost," she said.

But with the Ashes series done and dusted, Meg's not quite ready to tuck the baggy green back in the drawer just yet. She's got a World Cup series in Bangladesh coming up shortly. And this time she might pack her togs.

YouTube: World T20 | Meg Lanning, the steel in Australia's armour 13 November 2018
https://youtu.be/HWFO7OIad60

YouTube: A superb diving catch by Meg Lanning 5 March 2020
https://youtu.be/l4b-tzFxufw

YouTube:

Cricket Australia - Lanning claims second Belinda Clark Medal - 27 January 2015	Cricket Australia - Meg Lanning Profile
Sydney Morning Herald	Meg Lanning - Facebook Instagram
Melbourne Stars	We can win final five...
Cricket Monthly 5 October 2020	ABC News 4 October 2020

Materials sourced from
InSight Magazine (ACU)
Meg Lanning - Wikipedia

Online: Should Female Sportspeople be paid the same as their male counterparts?

1. Look at the following resources and then discuss as a group, then as a whole class the big question:

"Should female Sportspeople be paid the same as their male counterparts?"
Why? Why not?

2. What is the criteria for the same pay or different pay? Make a list and be ready to explain your reasons.

3. What solutions would you put forward to promote each pay?

Resources:

Women and sport in Australia	Crikey
Women Sports Australia Facebook	Women Sport Australia

Famous Australian Sportspeople in On the Job

Lionel Rose	Evonne Goolagong Cawley
Michael Milton	Cathy Freeman
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