Cricket Wellington has offered its condolences to the family and friends of Joy Lamason following her recent passing.
In paying tribute, Cricket Wellington recognised the enormous contribution Joy made as a player and administrator. Following her playing career for Wellington and New Zealand in the 1940s and 1950s, she remained involved with the game as an administrator and a strong advocate for Women’s Cricket.
A Life Member of New Zealand Cricket, a Vice President of Cricket Wellington and a Life Member of the New Zealand Women’s Cricket Association (since amalgamated with NZC), Joy had a decade-long playing career for New Zealand, playing 13 matches for New Zealand and touring England in 1954.
Joy Lamason, nee Joy Stenberg, was an opening bowler and a top order batswoman. She played four Test matches, making her international debut against the Australian Women at the Basin Reserve in March 1948 where she took 0-84 in Australia’s only innings and scored 24 and 19.
The next summer she played for Wellington against the touring English Women in a two-day match at the Basin Reserve, and backed up for New Zealand the following week at Eden Park to play the first of her three Tests against England. This side was captained by her sister-in-law Ina Lamason, who was married to Joy's brother-in-law former Wellington all-rounder and captain Jack.
On the 1954 tour of England with the New Zealand Women’s team, Joy played in the two Test matches at Leeds, where she took 4 for 51, and Worcester.
At the age of 43 she played her final Women’s international in Auckland on New Year's day 1958, a non-Test match agaisnt the touring English Women.
Following her retirement from the game, Joy remained a firm supporter of women’s cricket in Wellington and New Zealand and the current Cricket Wellington Senior Women’s club cricket competition is played annually for the Joy Lamason Cup.
In February 2009, Lamason attended Wellington women’s cricket 75th Jubilee celebrations and greatly enjoyed catching up with old friends and teammates.
Source: NZC Player Archive