Claire Taylor

Samantha Claire Taylor MBE is a former cricketer who represented England more than 150 times between 1998 and 2011. A top order batsman, Taylor was the first woman to be named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year. Along with Charlotte Edwards, she was the mainstay of Englands batting during the first decade of the 21st century, and played a key role in the teams two world titles in 2009.

Samantha Claire Taylor was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire onSeptember 1975, as part of a sporting family her father played rugby, and her mother played hockey. She attended Dolphin School in Hurst, Berkshire, where she initially played softball, participating as the only girl in the school team. Taylor did not play cricket until a summer camp at the age of 13, but thereafter improved to such a level that she captained the Dolphin School cricket team, playing alongside the boys. She subsequently moved to The Abbey School, Reading for a short time, and finally Kendrick School. Although she primarily played hockey as a teenager, at which she represented England at Under17 and Under19 as a forward, she began playing womens county cricket for Thames Valley, making her debut for the side in May 1993.

Source: Wikipedia