Five MCC women Members profiled

As part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of women first being elected to MCC Membership - we profile five of our most illustrious female Members.

The Pioneer: Rachael Heyhoe-Flint

Heyhoe-Flint in her batting pomp in 1980 The first woman to hit a six in Test cricket, the first to step out to play on the Lord’s outfield and one of the very first women to be elected to MCC membership, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint bestrode women’s cricket for decades.

She made her Test debut in 1960, became captain six years later, and remained unbeaten while leading the side. Her highest score - 179 - came in a 521 minute rearguard against Australia in 1976 in which she was determined not to lose her unbeaten record.

In the same year her England team created history by becoming the first women to play at Lord’s. Three years earlier, she had been instrumental in establishing the women’s World Cup (two years before the men) which England duly won.

She campaigned for women’s MCC membership on the basis of fairness and equality - "MCC is the greatest cricket club in the world, the guardians of the Laws, so I wanted to become a Member."

She was one of the first women MCC granted Honorary Life Membership to on 16th March 1999.

Since then Heyhoe-Flint has become the first woman to be elected onto the MCC Committee in 2004 (she is currently serving her second stint) and, in 2007 her MBE for services to women’s cricket was upgraded to an OBE for services to cricket - in acknowledgement of her work for both MCC and the Lady Taverners.

The Legend: Enid Bakewell

Enid Bakewell batting for England Enid Bakewell is one of the greatest cricketers to grace the women’s game.

From her century on Test debut to becoming the first English player - male or female - to score a century and take ten wickets in a match (her final one), Bakewell’s 14-year international career was one highlight after another.

Bakewell played her first Test for England in 1968 and her last One Day International (ODI) in 1982. A brilliant all-rounder, she averaged 59.88 with the bat and 16.62 with the ball in Tests, and 35.71 with the bat and 21.12 with the ball in ODIs. She scored 118 in the final of the first women’s World Cup when England beat Australia in 1973.

Elected to MCC Honorary Life Membership in 2000, Bakewell has played 42 games for the Club and still opens the bowling for MCC and her club side Redoubtables.

The Record Breaker: Caroline Atkins

Caroline Atkins batting in MCC colours When Caroline Atkins scored her maiden ODI century against South Africa at Lord’s and in the process contributed to a new world record partnership in women’s ODIs, it was just reward for all the hard work the player everyone calls ‘Shaggy’ had put in at 'The Home of Cricket'.

The mammoth 268-run opening stand with Sarah Taylor contributed to a crushing 225-run with for England women.

As a student at Durham University, Atkins reaped the benefits of working with Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE) coach Graeme Fowler.

When, in 2005, she ‘graduated’ to the MCC Young Cricketers scheme under the tutelage of Clive Radley, she was following in the footsteps of greats such as Ian Botham and Mark Waugh.

Atkins was elected to MCC on the strength of her first class career. When she’s not scoring runs for MCC, she also contributes to the women’s set up by sitting on the MCC Women’s sub-committee.

Atkins said: "My time under first Graeme Fowler at Durham and then Clive Radley's team at Lord's gave me a great chance to develop my game because there were so many opportunities to train intensively, play hard cricket and pick top coaches' brains.

"Being based at Lord's was a real privilege and it inspires you to work extra hard because you know so few get the chance and so many greats have played there.
"Scoring my first international century at Lord's was made all the more special by the years I trained there and longed to go out on the most famous pitch in the world and show what I could do!"

The World Number 1: Claire Taylor

Claire Taylor celebrates her record-breaking score at Lord's 'The Home of Cricket' holds a special place in Claire Taylor’s heart because it was here she scored her highest ODI score - 156* - and in the process eclipsed Sir Viv Richards’ 138* at the 1979 World Cup as the highest ODI score at Lord’s.

Her image now adorns one of the signs that surround the stands, honouring great individual international performances at Lord’s.

No woman has scored more ODI centuries than Taylor’s eight and her prolific scoring in the short form of the game has cemented her place at the top of the ICC’s world batting rankings.

Speaking from Australia, where she has got off to a fine start in the women’s World Cup, Taylor said: "It’s been ten years now since MCC made what was, for some of their members, the contentious step of inviting females to apply for membership of the club.

"Over those ten years many of the England women’s team have joined MCC and have benefited from playing matches against a variety of opposition.

"One of the other key benefits for women has been the MCC Young Cricketers Scheme.

"Some of the England team have gained from this such as Caroline Atkins, Nicky Shaw and Beth Morgan and some of the youngsters coming through on the academy will have the advantage of this as well.

"It gives them a great opportunity to play cricket throughout the summer under the tutelage of the head coach of the MCC Young Cricketers Scheme, to play some great games, to work within cricket and to get a real feel for the game.

"I hope MCC continue to support the women’s game and that we continue to enjoy membership privileges.

"I also hope that more female cricketers come forward and apply for membership and that the cricket scene for them within the MCC is thriving and happy and is an enjoyable group of people to play cricket with."

Taylor became an MCC Member in 2003 and, along with England colleague Caroline Atkins, was part of the first women’s MCC team to beat a touring side, when South Africa were defeated the same year.

The MCC Servant: Judy Wilmot

Judy Wilmot preparing for another MCC tour No woman has played more regularly for MCC than Judy Wilmot, who has been known to come straight to a game after working a night shift as a paramedic.

Growing up in Yorkshire "where everyone played" Wilmot started playing at 10 and in her time has represented the West of England, Somerset and British Colleges as well as turning out 53 times (and counting) for MCC.

The reason she loves playing for the Club is simple: "Playing for MCC is not about winning - although we all want to win - it’s about playing to enjoy the game and playing it in the right way.

"Everyone can find their own level, and, at a time when there is so much fiercely competitive cricket around, it’s wonderful just to be able to go out and play for the love of the game."

Wilmot managed her first MCC tour - to the Channel Islands - in 2008, describing it as both "an honour" and "enjoyable because the players were so easy to manage", and, "so long as the body holds up" she hopes to extend her (slim) lead over other MCC stalwarts Sian Price and Coral Handley by playing many more times for the Club.