Cricket might have been where three-time hall of fame inductee, Belinda Clark, made her mark but it could have easily been any number of sports according to proud father and former Boggabri local, Allan.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A trailblazer in Australian women’s cricket, Clark was last week inducted as the first woman in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.
She was awarded the coveted gong alongside fellow international, Mark Waugh, at the Allan Border Medal presentation evening.
“It’s just reward for all the effort she has put in,” Allan told the NVI from his Central Coast home.
Belinda, who played 15 Test matches and 118 one-day internationals for Australia over a 15-year career at the top level, has also been inducted into the Australia Sport Hall of Fame and Newcastle’s Hall of Fame where she spent most of her junior years.
Originally, she started her schooling in Werris Creek where her father, Allan, was then principal.
Allan was born and raised in Boggabri before becoming a school teacher.
He had stints at Spring Ridge and eventually Werris Creek during the 1970s until the family moved to Newcastle.
He spoke glowingly of Belinda’s talents in just about every sport available.
“She obviously had good hand-eye co-ordination,” Allan said.
“She was a first grade hockey player in Sydney but she also played a lot of tennis and of course cricket.
“Since she retired (from cricket) she’s been doing a lot of running.
“She ran in the Paris Marathon not long ago.”
Allan said Belinda’s big break came when she was taken under the wing of fellow Newcastle girl and former Australian fast bowler, Sally Griffiths.
“She used to take Belinda down to Sydney to play with the Gordon club,” he said.
From there it all happened fairly rapidly and Belinda soon found herself representing her country around the world.
“It makes you feel very special,” Allan said of Belinda’s remarkable cricket career.
“She is a great ambassador for the sport.
“I think she did a great job as captain and she’s still doing a great job now.”
Although a qualified physiotherapist, it’s in the cricket development and coaching where Belinda’s passion is now directed.
She is currently employed as manager of Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.
Also living in the same city is Belinda’s older sister, Sally, with her husband and former Gunnedah man, Wayne Birchall.
The pair was outstanding tennis champions in their own right, both here in Gunnedah and in the Newcastle area.
Belinda has one older brother, Colin, who works with Telstra in Queensland and a younger sister, Helen, who is based in Germany.
Mum, Margaret, who died in 1992 was also a very good tennis player and a former NSW Country Champion.
The family were regular visitors to the North West and often competed at the annual Gunnedah Easter tennis tournament as well as open and junior tournaments.
