Samantha McIlwraith

Samantha McIlwraith started playing cricket in Hong Kong three years ago - having moved there from Australia three years previously - after being asked by the captain Neisha Pratt to join the team. She had never played before that so, in her words, "it has been an exciting challenge." She adds: "Of course I grew up watching the Australian men's team on TV, but I played hockey and never actually thought about playing cricket."

McIlwraith is a hard-hitting middle-order bat who is getting better technically thanks to "some amazing coaching by Lal [the HK coach]". She is a medium pacer, but doesn't expect to be bowling too much in the ACC tournament. She plays for Lamma CC and is a PE teacher at an international school.

Jenny Thompson June 2007