Background
McKelvey was born in Lower Hutt in 1942.
McKelvey was born in Lower Hutt in 1942.
She was educated at Wellington Girls" College from 1955 to 1959, where she was captain of both the senior "A" netball and 1st XI cricket teams.
She played 15 women"s Test matches for New Zealand, captaining the side in all of them. The record was two wins, three defeats and five draws. Her Test career spanned the period 1966 to 1978/9, and included Tests against not only traditional rivals England and Australia, but also against South Africa and India.
McKelvey scored 699 Test runs at an average of 29.12, with a highest score of 155 not out.
She also captained New Zealand in all 15 women"s one-day internationals she played in, winning seven, losing seven, with one tie. McKelvey also played for the International XI in the 1973 women"s World Cup, finishing fourth out of seven teams.
McKelvey"s 15 Tests as captain means she has captained New Zealand more times than the next two women in the list combined. She has also served on the board of Bowls New Zealand.
Outside of cricket, McKelvey had a distinguished career in education.
She was principal of Wellington High School for seven years, retiring in 1994.
In 1992, McKelvey became the first woman board member of New Zealand Cricket. She has since served on the boards of other educational institutions, including being a member of the Council of Victoria University of Wellington from 2007 to 2012 and chair of The Correspondence School board of trustees. McKelvey was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to women"s cricket in the 1981 Queen"s Birthday.