Sport: Lydia Greenway Best Female Cricke Player 2012

Full name: Lydia Sophie Greenway
Born: Aug 6 1985, Bromley
County: Kent women
Other Teams: England women, Diamonds
Test Debut: Australia women v England women, Brisbane, Feb 15-17 2003
ODI Debut: England women v South Africa women, Chelmsford, Aug 13 2003
T20 Debut: England women v New Zealand women, Hove, Aug 5 2004
Batting: Left-hand bat
Bowling: Off-spin

One of the finest fielders in the women’s game, Greenway has become an integral part of England’s middle-order batting.

She made her senior debut in February 2003 against Australia in the Ashes series at the Gabba, having scored 88 versus Australia A.

In the first Test with South Africa in the summer of 2003 she made 70 and broke the world record for a fourth-wicket stand with Claire Taylor as they amassed 203 runs. She followed it up with 66 in the next Test and also made her one-day debut against the same opponents.

Greenway was at the crease as England won the 2005 Ashes for the first time in 42 years with a six-wicket victory in the second Test at Worcester.

She helped England retain the Ashes in early 2008 and go unbeaten that summer. She was also heavily involved as England won the World Cup and World Twenty20 in 2009 before retaining the Ashes once again with a draw in the one-off Test at Worcester.

Greenway could not prevent Australia regaining the Ashes in 2010-11, although she shone in the prior Twenty20 series and was subsequently voted England’s player of the year.

She continued her impressive 2011 by scoring a maiden international century the following October, in an ODI against South Africa at Potchefstroom.