Three greats of the game have been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, with Michael Clarke AO, Christina Matthews AM and Michael Bevan all selected as the 2024/25 season inductees for their service to cricket at the highest level.
The trio join names such as Sir Donald Bradman, Bill Ponsford, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Belinda Clarke in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, which was established by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1996.
Michael Clarke AO
Becoming the 64th inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, Clarke was a talented batter who captained Australia in all formats of the game – Test, ODI and T20.Playing 115 Test matches, 245 One-Day Internationals and 24 T20s, Clarke’s international career spanning 11 years consists of a number of remarkable statistics.
He made 8,643 Test runs – including 28 centuries and 27 half-centuries, with a phenomenal top score of 329 not out. In his ODI career. Clarke made 7,981 runs – including eight centuries, 58 half-centuries and a top score of 130.
Clarke was also a member of the 2007 and 2015 ICC World Cup winning teams, the latter as captain. Peter King, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman, said:
“On behalf of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee, it is my great pleasure to announce Michael Clarke AO as the first inductee to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame for the 2024/25 season.
“In selecting Michael as one of the three Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees for this season, the selection committee was met with statistics of a player who defined his generation and at his peak was ranked the best Test batter in the world.
“More than that, Michael was an exceptional leader of our men’s Test and ODI teams who had a sustained period of success under his captaincy.
“Michael’s extraordinary first-class playing career started at just 17 at the SCG – the place where many of his highlights occurred, including a Test triple century against India in 2012.
“While often lauded for his batting prowess, Michael also excelled with ball in hand, having helped Australia secure victory in the 2008 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a spell of 3 for 5 in 1.5 overs with just seven balls remaining in the match.
“Michael’s career will forever be remembered fondly by the Australian public and his standing held alongside those at the upper echelon of our game. On behalf of the selection committee, we congratulate Michael on his very deserved induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.”
Christina Matthews AM
Matthews was a stalwart of the Australian Women’s Cricket Team from 1984 to 1995.Playing 20 Tests and 47 One-Day Internationals for Australia, Matthews’ international career included the successful 1988 and 1993 ODI World Cups.
The wicket-keeper also held a world Test record of 58 dismissals during her international career.
Following her retirement from playing in 1995, Matthews held a number of senior roles across the game – most notably as a member of the national selection panel from 2007 – 2011, as Chief Executive Offer of WA Cricket and is currently the President of the Australian Cricketers’ Association – the organisation’s first female President.
Peter King, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman, said:
“It’s my pleasure, on behalf of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame committee, to announce our 65th inductee - Christina Matthews AM.
“It is without a doubt that we can describe Christina’s contribution to Australian cricket as impactful and vast.
“Stretching from an impressive playing career, Christina has continued to pave the way for women in the game through her extensive administration career.
“Christina is being inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame because of her playing career, where her natural leadership came to the forefront as Vice-Captain of our national team between 1991-94.
“A wicket-keeper and right-handed batter, Christina still holds the record as Australia’s most-capped female in Test cricket, having played in 20 Tests and 47 One-Day International matches spanning a national representative career from 1984 to1995.
“Renowned as a champion of women’s cricket and sport more broadly, it is fitting to make this announcement on another historic day when the MCG hosts the first Women’s Test Match at the venue in more than 75 years.
“Christina’s incredible contribution to improving participation and the standing of women’s cricket in the community is the reason why she is a deserved inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.”
Michael Bevan
Bevan is widely regarded as one of the greatest white ball players of all time. The 66th inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, Bevan is the first inductee under the new selection criteria (outlined below).Playing 232 One-Day Internationals for Australia, Bevan was the world’s top-ranked One-Day International batter 1,259 consecutive days from 1999 to 2002.
Scoring 6,912 runs – including six centuries and 48 half-centuries, Bevan had the third-highest batting average of any cricketer in ODI cricket at the time of his retirement in 2007.
He was also a member of Australia’s 1999 and 2003 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup winning teams.
Along with ODI cricket, Bevan played 18 Test matches for Australia, scoring 785 runs and taking 29 wickets – including a remarkable 10-wicket haul against West Indies in 1996/97.
Peter King, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman, said:
“On behalf of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee, it is with great pride we announce Michael Bevan as the latest inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.
“Michael without a doubt revolutionised white ball cricket and became a household name for his masterful batting, amazing athleticism and ability to chase down runs.
“It was Michael’s exceptional playing record and public standing that pushed the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee to review its selection criteria to ensure players who excelled in One-Day or Twenty20 Internationals were equally recognised as those who shone in the Test format.
“In the late 90s and early 2000s, the name Bevan and One-Day Internationals were synonymous with one another. Michael’s stunning performances forced fans to either flock to a stadium or turn on their televisions, which was the impact he had on the game of cricket in Australia and globally.
“Beloved by fans for his thrilling innings with the bat, Michael is known as one of the greatest players to ever play white ball cricket and his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame is truly fitting. Congratulations on this honour.”
Updated criteria (as of February 2025)
A review of the criteria was undertaken by the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee and the Melbourne Cricket Club, manager of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), to ensure all formats of the game which were available in respective eras were equally recognised.
The updated criteria see the introduction of two categories in which candidates can be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame as either a Player or in the General category.
The Player category will see the Committee assess candidates for induction who have significantly contributed to the game of cricket while playing at the national level across formats available in their respective era. The Committee will consider a candidate’s outstanding service, overall contribution, impact, playing statistics, integrity, sportsmanship and general standing in the Australian community. A candidate will only be eligible for induction in the Player category after a minimum period of five years has passed since they last participated at the national representative level.
The introduction of a General category opens the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame to those candidates who have significantly contributed to the game of cricket while working or volunteering at the national and/or international level in the roles of coach, umpire, media personnel, referee, administrator or in another position as determined by the Committee.
A candidate eligible in the General category will be considered for induction through their outstanding service, overall contribution and public standing. The number of years of service to Australian cricket and the game generally across available formats in the candidate’s era shall only be a consideration and shall not be a sole determination in assessing the full eligibility of a candidate.
The Committee determined that Australian Cricket Hall of Fame could elevate inductees to Legend status. The new classification for inductees will be applied to honour players who have made the most significant contribution to the game of cricket in Australia over a prolonged period. A candidate for Legend status will have their contribution assessed by their stature in the game of cricket and how they have personally transcended their sport to become key figures in the community.
You can find out more about the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame here.