Taking a 5-wicket haul in any cricket match is a remarkable achievement, whether it’s women’s or men’s playing their debut international matches. It’s a feat only a handful of cricketers can boast about. In the recent encounter between England and the West Indies set in Derby, Linsey Smith’s performance helped England clinch a 108-run victory against the West Indies women, also marking her as the eighth woman to mark her arrival in the record book with a fifer in their debut contest.
In the history of Women’s One Day Internationals (WODIs), bowlers have earlier, already announced their arrival on the world stage with a five-for in their very first match. Let’s look at the top 8 trailblazers and their unforgettable debut.
1. Glenys Lynne Page (New Zealand):
The left-arm Orthodox spinner has the best-ever performance in WODI history, who tore through the Trinidad & Tobago Women’s Cricket Team with sensational figures of 6 for 20 on 23rd June in 1973. Her performance stands tall as the best bowling figure on debut in WODIs. She is the third-oldest player at the age of 32 years and 316 days to take a maiden five-wicket haul in an innings. Left-arm spinner with immaculate control, Page dismantled a strong side and instantly wrote her name into the record books.
2. Laura Julyen Harper (England)
LJ Harper made her mark in 1999 with her debut against the Netherlands, picking up 5 wickets for 12 runs against the Netherlands in a single innings. England were dominant, and Harper’s ability to extract the spin off the surface alongside her disciplined bowling paid rich dividends. Her fifer helped wrap up the Netherlands side to a modest total with 14 balls to spare, and it remains one of the best performances by an English debutant in ODIs.
3. Tina Macpherson (Australia)
With her debut against the Young England Women’s Cricket Team, Mac picked up 5 wickets for 14 runs, held in Bournemouth on 23rd June 1973. Australia eventually won the game by 7 wickets, which shows how impactful Tina Macpherson’s spell was. Her accuracy and rhythm as a seam bowler showcased Australia’s fast-bowling depth even back in the early days.
4. Felicity Davis (New Zealand)
FC Leydon-Davis starred for New Zealand with 5 for 18 against the West Indies women in the 3rd ODI on 26th February 2014. She stands with the second-best bowling figures by a White Fern in an innings on debut in WODIs. Her disciplined performance helped New Zealand dominate the match and set the tone for her on a personal level for the rest of their tour. Though she had a short international career, Leydon-Davis left a lasting impact with this dream debut.
5. Purnima Choudhary (India)
India’s Purnima Choudhary impressed right away with a sparkling 5-wicket haul for just 21 runs against the West Indies women on 13th December 1997 in the 11th match of the Hero Honda Women’s World Cup. She played five ODIs for India and scored 20 runs, including a five-wicket haul on debut, also earning her the Player of the Match. Making her debut in Faridabad, the medium pacer proved too good for the visiting team. She became the first Indian woman to take a five-for on debut in WODIs.
6. Kelis Ndhlovu (Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe’s historic rise in women’s cricket got a major boost when Kelis Ndhlovu produced a dazzling spell of 5 for 22 against Thailand women on 19th April 2023 in the 1st ODI. Despite Zimbabwe ending up on the losing side, Kelis etched her name in the record books with her bowling spell. She then became the third youngest woman at the age of 17 years and 154 days to take a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket.
7. Jenny Owens (Australia)
Australia’s J Owens bagged 5 for 29 against Ireland on 1st July during the 1987 season. The smart tactical bowler varied her pace and lengths expertly to run through the Irish batting order. This match was part of a limited-over series that Australia dominated, and Owens’ spell played a key role in their victory.
8. Linsey Smith (England)
LN Smith recently achieved her maiden five-wicket haul on her ODI debut. Smith made her ODI debut for England on 30th May 2025 in Derby in the 1st ODI against the West Indies and immediately impressed with a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/36. She became the second England woman to achieve this on their debut. Smith’s performance helped England win the match by a significant margin of 108 runs to take the lead in the three-match ODI series.
