A pace bowler who swings the ball prodigiously, Rene Farrell was selected for the national side halfway through the 2006-07 season, having played only five matches for New South Wales. She made her debut against New Zealand in the Rose Bowl series in July 2007, brought in as cover after an injury to Lisa Sthalekar, and took 3 for 36 on debut, followed by 3 for 26 in the third game of the series.

It was not quite enough to secure her place, but she was recalled to the side in time for the 2009 World Cup in Australia, and played in six of seven of Australia's games, taking 7 wickets across the tournament. She made her T20 debut later that year, against New Zealand in the 2009 World Twenty20, and impressed straightaway, taking 3 for 13 in her first match. She was also used during that tournament as a pinch-hitter, a role she fulfilled well, hitting a quick-fire 31* in Australia's group match against West Indies having come in at 4, as they reached their target of 136 with 16 balls remaining. Representing Nottinghamshire in the County Championship in the 2009 season, she also showed her talent with the bat, scoring 413 runs at an average of 59.00.

Her greatest moment undoubtedly came in the 2011 Test against England at Sydney when, on the third day, she became just the third woman to take a hat-trick in Tests. She finished the innings with 5 for 23 off 17 overs as England were bowled out for 149 and Australia triumphed by 7 wickets.

A three-year break from international cricket, however, followed: she retired in February 2011, feeling her heart was no longer really in the sport, and when attempting a return the following season, she fell over her dog and broke her ankle, putting her out of action for several months. Her eventual comeback came in 2014 during the Ashes Test at Perth, and it was worth the wait: she took 4 for 43 on the first day, bowling England out for 201. Following her 4 for 15 in the final match of the tour at Sydney, she was handed a Southern Stars contract mid-season by Cricket Australia, and has since remained at the forefront of their pace attack.

In the inaugural Women's Big Bash League in 2015/16 she finished the tournament as leading wicket-taker, with 26 wickets for Sydney Thunder.
Raf Nicholson