Clare Connor

Clare Connor finished her six-year stint as England captain by winning the Ashes, but missed the winter tour of the subcontinent that followed through injury and announced her retirement soon after, even though she was still not 30. She had been juggling a number of balls for some time. She teaches English and PE at Brighton College while heading up their PR operations, and managed to squeeze in commentary stints on Channel 4 among other media work (although she was helped by having a sabbatical). She received the MBE in 2004 and after a glittering 2005 the OBE was added to her many other achievements which include being named Vodafone Player of the Year in 2002.

An allrounder who batted right-handed and bowled slow left-armers, Connor was appointed England captain in 2000, a role which she grew into gradually. Slowly, surely, she helped to mould England into a force to be reckoned with which culminated in their 1-0 Ashes series win in 2005. England had last won the Ashes a mere 42 years before.

Connor first made the headlines when she played cricket for Brighton College 1st XI. In 2002, she became the first women to play in The Cricketer Cup when she appeared for Old Brightonians against Lancing Rovers. Other career highlights include taking a televised hat-trick for England against India in 1999.

In 2007 she was appointed as ECB's head of women's cricket.