•  Sports Minister Hugh Delahunty congratulates Victorian Meg Lanning on her appointment as captain for last weekend’s Ashes match against England

• Lanning is the youngest person to captain an Australian cricket team in 137 years of international cricket

Minister for Sport and Recreation Hugh Delahunty today congratulated Victorian women’s cricketer Meg Lanning after she became the youngest national captain in the history of Australian cricket over the weekend at the MCG.

At 21 years and 200 days, Lanning broke the record previously set by Ian Craig in 1958 and became the youngest captain in Australia’s 137 year international cricket history in the second match of the Southern Stars Ashes series against England.

Mr Delahunty said that Lanning’s elevation after regular captain Jodie Fields’ injury was a great honour for one of the state’s most exciting young athletes.

“It’s often said that the Australian cricket captaincy is the most important job in Australia, and for Meg Lanning to achieve this honour at such a young age is a testament to her skills and leadership abilities,” Mr Delahunty said.

“All Victorian sports fan will take pride in knowing that one of our own has taken such a prestigious record in Australian sport while looking forward to watching her represent Victoria and Australia for many years to come.”

“Congratulations Meg on this great historical achievement that occurred at the home of Victorian sport, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and we hope you inspire many young Victorians to get more active, more often.”

Unfortunately the Southern Stars went down to England in the second match of their Ashes series, the next match is at the MCG on Thursday January 23 starting at 2:20pm.

Lanning is the current Victorian Spirit captain in the Women’s National Cricket League and came through the ranks of Box Hill in club cricket competition. She already holds records for the highest score in the WNCL (175) and in the Victorian Women’s Cricket Association (241 off 136 balls). Last night Lanning won the Belinda Clark Medal for Australian women’s player of the year