Taylor amongst Wisden Cricketers of the Year

Date released: 3 April 2009

Taylor marks the occasion in the Long Room at Lord's England's World-Cup winning batter, Claire Taylor has been named amongst Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year - the first woman to receive the honour.

Taylor, player of the tournament in the recent World Cup in Australia, scoring 324 runs at an average of 64. Taylor also still holds the record one-day international score at Lord's: 156 not out.

The other cricketers named are: England bowler James Anderson; Durham's Championship winning captain Dale Benkenstein; and South Africa internationals Mark Boucher and Neil McKenzie.

Anderson: The only England mens player on the list Those four and Taylor are the Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2009.

Speaking about Taylor's honour, editor of the Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack, Scyld Berry said: "Beating Australia in Australia is the objective for all cricketers, at least in England, and Claire almost single-handedly saw England through to victory.

"It would be a sin of omission, an act of prejudice, to exclude her from the acolade."

The 146th edition of the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is publish on Wednesday 9 April.

World-Cup winners: coming to Lord's?

Long Room lady: MCC Member Claire Taylor Back in February, Claire Taylor was at Lord's for The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year awards.

Speaking exclusively to Lords.org Taylor spoke about her expectations for the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20 tournament, which culminates in the final at Lord's.

• Listen to our exclusive interview with Claire Taylor (7.7 MB)