Mamatha Maben

An aggressive middle-order bat who doubles as a useful medium-pacer, Mamatha Maben has been involved in Indian women's cricket for many years. The Bangalore all-rounder played for India way back in 1993, when the team travelled to England for the World Cup. Since then, however, Maben was unable to find a place in the Indian team, until the 2001-02 England tour of India. Maben suffered a serious setback in 2000 when she dislocated her shoulder on the opening day of the CricInfo Rani Jhansi Trophy, women's cricket's premier domestic tournament. She seriously considered quitting the game altogether but stayed in touch as a journalist, working for print and Internet concerns. The domestic season of 2001, however, saw her stage a strong comeback, scoring consistently throughout the year. Maben was rewarded by selection for the Indian team. Scoring a half-century in just the third game after her comeback, she justified her selection. What makes her performance especially creditable is the fact that she is returning to the women's cricket scene after a hiatus of eight long years. (Anand Vasu)