Claire Taylor, the key to World Twenty20 success

Claire Taylor, the would-be Ricky Ponting of women's cricket, could have had a well-paid job in IT but is driven by a sporting obsession. In an extensive interview with the Guardian, Taylor talks about starting off as a professional cricketer to her current role as England captain.

"There have been points all through my England career where my dad has said, 'Right, you really need to think about what's going to happen after cricket. Isn't it time now to go out to work?' There's an obvious generational difference in outlook. My parents were both the first generation of their families to make it to university and have middle-class jobs. So their ambitions were centred around a secure house for the family while I was more confident I could pursue this dream and support myself. I guess I was quite selfish."