'I had fan mail for years': Pioneer recognised among the greats of the game

Larsen, 60, grew up on a farm at Tuntable Creek and had her first taste of representative cricket with NSW Country while attending Richmond River High School when she was 14.

By the time she was 22, she was the Australian women's cricket captain and well on her way to a decorated career which spanned from 1984 until 1994.

Larsen was recently recognised with her induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

She became just the ninth woman on a list which includes the likes of Belinda Clark, who was the first female inductee in 2014.

Lyn said it is an honour to be named alongside some of her idols, including Raelee Thompson, Betty Wilson and Sharon Tredrea.

Legends of the game including Allan Border, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh and Shane Warne have all been inducted since it started in 2000.

"I don't consider myself in the same ball park of some of the players in there, so it was a nice surprise," Lyn said.

"The men's names are all the big ones you'd expect and from the women's point of view it's a lot of the ones I idolised when I started playing.

"To be in that company is a real honour and a privilege.

"None of us saw her play, but Betty Wilson was known as the women's cricketer, she could do anything."

Lyn made her test debut in India when she played at Delhi in the 1983/84 series.

"I fell in love with India while playing in 1984," Lyn said.

"I don't think we were prepared to play there in front of 30,000 people.

"We played matches in front of a few hundred people in Australia while over there we would get mobbed in the street.

"I had fan mail for years afterwards, I have no idea how they got my address, but they would send these lovely little letters.

"It was a thrill to go back there in 1994 as the manager of the Australian youth team."

Lyn captained Australia to World Cup Glory in 1988 in front of 3000 fans at the MCG.

She was instrumental in her efforts off the field with the International Women's Cricket Council leading into 2005.

It helped lead to the integration of the IWCC with the International Cricket Council, in which today's players benefit with funding and having professional opportunities.

"I don't think any of us who played when I did could imagine that it was going to end up how it is today," Lyn said.

"Most years we played one international series and if you were lucky there would be a mid-season tour which we had against England in 1987.

"We hoped a bit more money would come in to help Australia host more tours, but to think it's gone to the level it's at now is beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

"The women playing now can really set themselves up for life well into the future.

"I had a great work-life balance when I played and I admire the women playing today. "I loved test cricket as a player and a captain, I'm not sure Twenty20 would be my thing if I was playing today.

"I do enjoy sitting back and seeing how skilful a lot of the women are now.

Lyn still lives at Tuntable Creek and has worked at the Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre for more than 20 years.

She was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1999 and the NSW Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.

In 2020 she was honoured with the AM (Order of Australia) for significant services to cricket as a player, selector, manager and coach.