FORMER England women’s cricket captain Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint has died aged 77.
Heyhoe-Flint passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a “short illness”.
Colin Graves, the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, said: “I sat with Rachael on the ECB Board for five years and considered it a privilege.
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“She achieved so much for women’s cricket, and she was especially influential both on the Board and in the House of Lords, in what we did to tackle the problem across all sports for ticket touting. Her knowledge and understanding of key areas of the game was valued enormously by all their fellow directors.
“She was such an approachable person – she got on with everybody from whatever walk of life. And the development of women’s cricket to its current position, which really is unrecognisable from when Rachael was playing, is a lasting tribute to her.”
Heyhoe-Flint was also vice-chairman for girlhood club Wolves.
Wolverhampton Councillor Roger Lawrence said: “We are terribly saddened to hear of the passing of Rachael Heyhoe-Flint OBE.
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“She was a fantastic ambassador for the City of Wolverhampton with a long and distinguished sporting career, captaining the England women’s cricket team from 1966 to 1978 and leading them to victory in the World Cup of 1973. She was also the first women to be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame.
“Rachael went on to become a highly respected journalist, broadcaster, businesswoman and board director. She was the first woman to be elected to the full committee of the MCC and latterly a Trustee, and was president of the Lady Taverners charity for a decade.
“She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands in 1997, and also gave sterling service to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, first as director and later as vice-president, and was rightly granted the Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton in 2011. She was also inducted into Wolverhampton’s Sporting Hall of Fame.
“She was a proud Wulfrunian and always spoke well of the City and its people. She will be much missed by all who knew her and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.”
Heyhoe-Flint – chiefly a batswoman during her career – captained England to World Cup glory in 1973.
She was also skipper in the first England ladies’ team to play at Lord’s in the 1976 Women’s Ashes series.
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