Rachel Heyhoe-Flint

Knighted as an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by the British Empire in 2008, Rachel Heyhoe-Flint was a remarkable player for England. She played for the English women’s cricket team. She also captained the team from 1966 to 1978.

Heyhoe-Flint excelled her talents in batting. She has played a total of 22 women’s test cricket matches with a strong batting average of 45.54. Her 23 ODI matches average for 58.45. In 1979, she scored her career best of 179 runs, which is also a world record in women’s test cricket in a match against Australia. She stayed unbeaten on the field for a straight eight and a half hours to end the test series in a draw.

The first English team to play at the Lord’s cricket ground was led by Heyhoe-Flint. She led the Women’s Ashes team in 1976. She also plays the lead in scoring the first women to hit a six in a test match in 1963 against Australia. The 1979 series against West Indies marked her last playing test series. Later, in 1982, she was the part of the England team that played at the World Cup.

After retirement, Heyhoe-Flint lent her services to the journalism field. She was casted as a broadcaster and after-dinner speaker. Besides cricket, she played hockey and was the goal keeper for the England national hockey team.

Career Highlights

The British Empire enlisted her as the Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1972, being one of the only 10 women to have been granted the honor.

MCC elected to the full committee of the MCC, she being the pioneer amongst women.

She was the skipper of her team that entered the first Women’s Cricket World Cup in 1973.