Justin Langer, Raelee Thompson inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

Thompson
and
Langer
become
the
58th
and
59th
inductees
respectively,
since
the
Australian
Cricket
Hall
of
Fame
was
established
in
1996.

A
left-handed
batter
hailing
from
Scarborough
Cricket
Club
in
Perth’s
north-west,
Langer’s
toughness
and
resilience
as
a
cricketer
was
on
display
from
the
beginning
of
his
Test
career.

Nick
Hockley,
Cricket
Australia
CEO,
in
an
official
release
said:
“Honouring
inductees
to
the
Australian
Cricket
Hall
of
Fame
is
an
important
and
special
moment
for
the
sport.
Justin
and
Raelee
are
extremely
deserving
inductees
and
it
is
wonderful
to
acknowledge
and
celebrate
the
immense
achievements
and
contributions
of
these
legends
of
our
game.

“Justin
has
had
a
tremendous
impact
on
Australian
cricket,
both
at
the
top
of
the
order
alongside
Matthew
Hayden,
as
a
coach
of
Western
Australia
and
more
recently
as
Head
Coach
of
the
Australian
men’s
team.

“Raelee
has
been
a
leader
and
champion
of
cricket
as
a
sport
for
women
and
girls
through
an
incredible
period
of
evolution,
both
as
a
proud
player
and
captain
of
her
country
and
continuing
that
passion
towards
ensuring
that
the
game
continues
to
progress
and
flourish
for
future
generations,”
he
added.

A
gritty
54
on
debut
at
the
Adelaide
Oval
in
1993
that
saw
him
hit
on
the
helmet
by
West
Indian
fast
bowler
Ian
Bishop
signalled
a
player
who
relished
the
challenge
of
international
cricket.

He
spent
the
first
years
of
his
career
at
No.3,
including
when
famously
partnering
with
Adam
Gilchrist
to
chase
down
369
to
beat
Pakistan
in
Hobart
in
1999.

Langer
moved
to
the
top
of
the
order
in
2001,
where
he
shared
in
Australia’s
most
successful
opening
partnership
in
Test
cricket
with
Matthew
Hayden.

The
pair
compiled
6,081
runs
together
from
122
Test
innings
at
an
average
of
51.53,
including
14
century
stands.

A
career
built
on
fighting
above
his
weight,
Langer
amassed
7,696
runs
with
a
Test
average
of
45.27.
He
also
played
in
eight
One
Day
Internationals
in
a
career
spanning
18
years
and
played
first-class
cricket
for
Western
Australia,
Middlesex
and
Somerset,
scoring
28,382
runs
at
an
average
of
50.23.

Following
successful
stints
as
coach
of
WA
and
Perth
Scorchers,
Langer
was
appointed
coach
of
the
Australian
men’s
cricket
team
in
May
2018,
and
led
them
to
the
Men’s
ICC
2021
T20
World
Cup
title
and
retaining
the
Ashes
in
2019
and
2021-2022.

Raelee
Thompson,
hailing
from
Shepparton
in
Victoria’s
north-east,
is
one
of
the
pioneers
of
the
women’s
game.
A
fast
bowler
who
played
16
Tests
and
23
One
Day
Internationals
for
Australia
between
1972
and
1985,
she
captained
the
team
four
times.

Thompson
is
the
oldest
player
–
male
or
female
–
to
take
a
maiden
five-wicket
haul
in
Test
matches
at
39
years
and
175
days
of
age.

Her
final
Test
match
in
1985,
the
fifth
and
deciding
Test
match
of
the
1984-85
Women’s
Ashes
series
played
in
Bendigo,
saw
her
lead
the
Australians
to
reclaim
the
Women’ Ashes
trophy
after
a
30-year
hiatus.

Thompson
took
57
Test
wickets
at
an
average
of
18.24
and
24
One-Day
International
wickets
at
18.66.
Thompson
also
represented
Victoria
on
45
occasions
before
serving
as
a
selector
for
many
years.

She
has
continued
mentoring
future
generations
of
female
cricketers
at
her
home
club,
Essendon
Maribyrnong
Park
Ladies
Cricket
Club
and
accepted
Life
Membership
from
Cricket
Victoria
in
2018.