Mary Waldron, Ireland’s most-capped women’s cricketer, has decided to bring an end to her illustrious international career. Having made her debut for Ireland in July 2010, Waldron has represented the nation in 56 ODIs and 88 T20Is as a wicketkeeper-batter. Throughout her career, she affected 148 dismissals and proved to be a valuable asset to the team. The 39-year-old had initially planned to retire after the third ODI against Australia, but an injury forced her to miss the final contest.
Mary Waldron’s international cricket journey spanned an impressive 13 years, during which she represented Ireland in a remarkable 56 One Day Internationals and 88 Twenty20 Internationals. As the team’s wicketkeeper, she played a crucial role in affecting 148 dismissals behind the stumps, showcasing her skills as a reliable glovewoman.
Speaking on her decision to retire, Waldron expressed her emotions and pride in her achievements on the cricket field. She thanked Cricket Ireland for providing her with the opportunity to represent her country and expressed her appreciation to Pembroke and Malahide for shaping her cricketing journey. Waldron also extended her gratitude to her family and Roxane for their unwavering support, especially her parents, whom she hailed as the best supporters in the world. She expressed her love for her teammates and conveyed her eagerness to follow their journey in the years ahead.
Speaking on her retirement, Waldron said, “It’s obviously a very emotional time but I’m very proud of what I have achieved. I want to say a huge thank you to the staff and coaches at Cricket Ireland for the opportunity to represent my country, and to Pembroke and Malahide for shaping my journey and supporting me all the way. To my family and Roxane, thank you for your support – and giving me a roof over my head whenever I needed it. More specifically, to Mum and Dad the best supporters in the world thank you for everything. Finally, to my teammates, I will miss you so much, but can’t wait to follow your journey over the years ahead.”
Ireland’s skipper, Laura Delany, paid tribute to Waldron, highlighting their shared journey in international cricket and expressing her admiration for her retiring teammate. Delany celebrated Waldron’s legendary career and conveyed how much she would be missed on and off the field.
Laura Delany stated “It’s a sad day when a teammate retires but even more so when that teammate is Mary Waldron. We made our international debuts on the same day and I have loved every minute of playing alongside her. I’ll miss her dearly, but it’s at times like these that we should try to celebrate a legendary career and I’m sure Irish fans will let her know how highly-regarded she is and rightly so.”
Head coach Ed Joyce also praised Waldron’s invaluable contributions to the team, emphasizing her leadership qualities and her role as a friend, colleague, and mentor to her teammates. He acknowledged her impact as a reliable leader during challenging times and expressed confidence in her new focus on umpiring.
Head coach Ed Joyce expressed “Mary was one of those players you always wanted in your squad a born leader both on- and off-the field, no matter the situation she could always be relied upon to rally her teammates or be a support during challenging times. She will be missed greatly, by the coaches, but probably more so by her teammates who she was friend, colleague or mentor to and sometimes all three at once. I know her playing retirement is not Mary’s loss to our sport, as she is already making her way through the umpiring ranks and I wish her well in that new primary focus.”