Claire Taylor facts for kids

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Claire Taylor

Personal information
Full name	Samantha Claire Taylor
Born	(1975-09-25) 25 September 1975 (age 49) Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Batter, occasional wicket-keeper
International information
National side	England (1998–2011)
Test debut (cap 127)	15 July 1999 v India
Last Test	10 July 2009 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 78)	19 July 1998 v Australia
Last ODI	7 July 2011 v Australia
ODI shirt no.	6
T20I debut (cap 11)	5 August 2004 v New Zealand
Last T20I	27 June 2011 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1993–1999	Thames Valley
2000–2011	Berkshire
2002/03–2004/05	Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition WTest WODI T20I WLA Matches 15 126 27 298 Runs scored 1,030 4,101 615 10,369 Batting average 41.20 40.20 27.95 43.02 100s/50s 4/2 8/23 0/3 17/66 Top score 177 156* 76* 156* Balls bowled – – – 578 Wickets – – – 3/26 Bowling average – – – 23.27 5 wickets in innings – – – 0 10 wickets in match – – – 0 Best bowling – – – 3/26 Catches/stumpings 18/0 41/5 12/2 114/57
Source: CricketArchive, 14 March 2021

Samantha Claire Taylor (born September 25, 1975) is a famous former English cricketer. She played for the England team over 150 times between 1998 and 2011. Claire was a top batter and made history as the first woman to be named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

Along with Charlotte Edwards, she was a key batter for England in the early 2000s. Claire helped her team win two world titles in 2009. She started playing cricket at 13 and made her county debut four years later. Claire first played for England in 1998.

After the 2000 World Cup, Claire decided to become a full-time cricketer. She became one of the best batters in women's cricket. In 2006, she scored 156 not out, which was the highest score in a One Day International (ODI) at Lord's Cricket Ground.

Claire was nominated for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award in 2007 and 2008. She won the award in 2009. She was the top run-scorer in the 2009 World Cup. She was also named player of the tournament in the World Twenty20 that same year. Claire retired from international cricket in 2011. In July 2018, she was added to the ICC Hall of Fame.

Claire Taylor's Early Life and Cricket Start

Samantha Claire Taylor was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England, on September 25, 1975. Her family loved sports; her dad played rugby and her mom played hockey. Claire went to Dolphin School where she first played softball. She was the only girl on the school team.

Claire did not play cricket until she was 13, at a summer camp. She quickly got very good and became captain of the Dolphin School cricket team, playing with the boys. She later went to The Abbey School, Reading and then Kendrick School.

Even though she mostly played hockey as a teenager, she started playing county cricket for Thames Valley. She played her first county game in May 1993.

Playing Cricket at Oxford University

In 1994, Claire went to The Queen's College, Oxford to study Mathematics. At Oxford, she earned three "blues" for hockey and three "half blues" for cricket. A "blue" is a special award for top university athletes. She also played for the college's men's cricket team.

While at Oxford, Claire kept playing for Thames Valley. She scored her first century (100 runs) in county cricket in July 1996. She scored 109 runs against Lancashire and Cheshire. Before this, her highest score was 37.

After graduating in 1997, Claire scored three half-centuries (50 runs or more) for Thames Valley. She had also played for England's younger teams for five years. In September 1997, she scored 85 runs for England Under-21s. She was not chosen for the 1997 Women's Cricket World Cup but was a reserve player. This showed her she was close to joining the main England team.

Claire's International Debut

In April 1998, Claire went to South Africa with the England Under-21 team. She scored two half-centuries there. Her first full international game was later that year. It was a One Day International (ODI) against Australia. Claire played as a specialist batter and scored one run.

She finished the 1998 county season with two strong batting performances. She scored 103 runs against West and 65 runs against Surrey. Later that year, she played as a wicket-keeper for England against England Under-21s, scoring 45 not out.

Claire kept her spot in the England team for the series against India in 1999. England struggled in this series. Claire's highest score was 12 runs, and her batting averages were low.

Early International Challenges

In the winter of 1999–2000, Claire toured Australia and New Zealand with England. The team lost all nine international matches. Claire scored 83 runs in a warm-up game. She also scored 56 runs in an ODI against New Zealand. This was one of only two half-centuries for England in ODIs during that tour.

She struggled for runs against the touring South Africans in 2000. She scored 68 runs in five games. After this series, Claire scored 115 runs for Berkshire in a county match.

England continued to struggle in the 2000 Women's Cricket World Cup. However, Claire played well. She scored 267 runs in the tournament, averaging 66.75. This placed her among the top ten batters. She scored her first international century, 137 not out, against Sri Lanka. She also shared a record 188-run partnership with Jane Cassar. England did not make it past the group stage.

Becoming a Full-Time Cricketer

After the 2000 World Cup, Claire wanted to become one of the best batters in the world. To do this, she decided to become a full-time cricketer. She had a good job in IT, earning a lot more than from cricket. To afford to quit, she moved back in with her parents.

England's next series was against Australia in 2001. England's batting was still not strong, and Australia won all five matches. Claire was the only bright spot for England's batting. She scored 50 not out in an ODI. In the second Test match, she batted for over four hours and scored 137 runs. This was a big improvement on her previous best Test score of 18.

Claire missed the tour of India in January 2002 due to a knee injury. She returned the next summer with strong performances in the Super Fours competition. She was the second-highest run-scorer, just behind Charlotte Edwards. However, she struggled in the four ODIs that season, scoring only 43 runs in total.

Success in New Zealand and South Africa

Before touring New Zealand and Australia, Claire played for the Canterbury Magicians in New Zealand's one-day competition. She was among the top five batters, scoring 252 runs. However, her good form did not continue in the international matches. She scored only 87 runs in seven ODIs.

She continued to struggle at the start of the 2003 English domestic season. Despite this, she stayed in the England squad when many other players were dropped. She proved her worth by scoring centuries in both Test matches against South Africa. Her score of 177 runs was her highest in Test cricket. Two weeks later, she scored 131 runs, becoming one of only five women to score centuries in two Test matches in a row.

Claire played in New Zealand's State League again in early 2004. She was the second-highest run-scorer with 401 runs. From New Zealand, she went to South Africa for five ODIs. She scored 90 runs in a warm-up game. She was England's second-best run-scorer, but only reached a half-century once.

Back in England for the 2004 Super Fours competition, Claire and Charlotte Edwards were again the top batters. Claire scored 351 runs at an average of 87.75. In the series against New Zealand, Claire was the top-scorer in the first Twenty20 International match ever played by either gender. She scored 76 not out.

World Cup Challenges

Claire played her third and final season in the State League before the 2005 Women's Cricket World Cup in South Africa. She scored 229 runs, her lowest in the competition. In a warm-up series against South Africa, she scored 94 and 47 in two ODIs. She also scored 166 not out against a local team.

In England's second World Cup match, against Sri Lanka, Claire scored the highest runs of the tournament. She made 136 runs from 128 balls. She also shared century partnerships with Charlotte Edwards and Clare Connor. This helped England win by a large margin.

She scored 55 not out against South Africa and 46 against New Zealand. This helped England reach the semi-finals. In the semi-final against Australia, Claire was out for a duck (zero runs). England lost the match. She finished the tournament as one of the top three batters, with 265 runs.

Developing Her Game Further

After the World Cup, Claire was disappointed with her own and England's results. She felt her sacrifices had not paid off. After talking to psychologists, she realized she needed a better work–life balance. She was an amateur violinist and joined the Reading Orchestra. By early 2006, she was working as a performance management consultant.

In the English summer of 2005, England played Australia for The Women's Ashes. England had not won the Ashes since 1963. In the first Test, Claire scored 35 runs and shared an 81-run partnership with Edwards. In the second innings, she was out for a duck.

England won the second Test to secure the Ashes. Claire scored 43 runs in the first innings. She finished the five-match ODI series as England's top run-scorer, with 325 runs. She scored half-centuries in the first and third matches. She also scored 116 runs in the fourth match to tie the series 2–2.

Claire Taylor batting against India in 2011.

Claire and England had a tough tour of Sri Lanka and India in late 2005. Claire scored only 76 runs in seven ODI matches. She scored 10 runs in the Twenty20 match and 32 runs in the first innings of their only Test. She scored her fourth and final Test century in the second innings, making 115 runs.

The first game of the ODI series against India was a highlight for Claire. Batting at number three, she scored 156 not out. This was her highest ODI score and is the joint fourth-highest total in women's ODI cricket. It is also the highest score made in an ODI at Lord's by any player, male or female.

In the Women's Quadrangular Series in India in early 2007, Claire was England's best batter. She scored 346 runs, the second-most of any player. She scored half-centuries against Australia, India, and New Zealand. She also scored 113 not out against Australia.

She had a quieter domestic season in 2007. In the third ODI against New Zealand, she scored her sixth century, 110 runs. She finished as the leading run-scorer in the series. Her performances led to her being nominated for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award in 2007.

Becoming a Leading Batter

England toured Australia and New Zealand in early 2008. Claire top-scored for England in their Twenty20 loss with 34 runs. In the second ODI, both Claire and Edwards were out for ducks. Claire scored her first half-century of the tour in the fourth ODI. She shared a century partnership with Edwards. This helped England take a 2–1 lead in the series.

After Australia tied the series, the two teams played a Test match. Claire and Edwards again had a successful partnership. Claire scored 79 runs as they put on 159 together. She scored an unbeaten half-century in the second innings. This helped England keep the Ashes.

Claire continued her good form against New Zealand. She scored 111 not out in the second ODI, helping England win by nine wickets. She scored a half-century in the third ODI. She finished as England's top run-scorer of the tour, with 342 runs in nine ODI matches.

In a county match, Claire scored 146 runs from 148 balls for Berkshire. No other Berkshire batter scored more than 10 runs. In a series against the West Indies, she had little impact. But she was described as "dominant" in the first match against South Africa. She scored 83 runs from 70 balls.

Claire reached a milestone during the series against India. She made her 100th ODI appearance. In that series, which England won 4–0, Claire remained not out in all three of her innings, scoring 125 runs. After this series, the ICC introduced player rankings for women's ODI cricket, and Claire was ranked as the top batter.

Double World Champion

In 2009, England played in both the Women's Cricket World Cup and the first Women's World Twenty20. Claire was a key player for England. She helped England win their first match against Sri Lanka with her eighth ODI century. This was her third century in a row against Sri Lanka in World Cup matches.

In the second match against India, she scored 69 not out. She helped England chase a small total quickly. She was not needed to bat against Pakistan. She scored 19 against New Zealand. Claire helped England reach the final with a quick 65 runs against the West Indies.

In England's last group match, Claire top-scored with 49 runs against Australia. In the final, England bowled out New Zealand for 166 runs. Claire scored an attacking 21 runs before being out. England won the match by four wickets, becoming ODI world champions. Claire was the top run-scorer in the tournament with 324 runs. She was also named in the team of the tournament.

Taylor batting against Sri Lanka during the 2009 Women's World Twenty20

Claire's next international action was in the first Women's World Twenty20 tournament in England. She was the second-highest run-scorer in the competition, with 199 runs. In a group match against Sri Lanka, Claire scored her highest Twenty20 International score, an unbeaten 75.

Five days later, she improved on that score, reaching 76 not out against Australia in the semi-finals. She helped England reach the final. In the final against New Zealand, England bowled them out for 85 runs. Claire top-scored for England with 39 not out. She was named player of the tournament.

In England's next series against Australia, Claire struggled for runs. She scored 79 runs in four ODI innings. She also scored under 20 runs in each innings of the only Test match. She chose to miss the tour of the West Indies in late 2009 to focus on her work.

Later Career and Retirement

Claire returned to play for England in the 2010 Women's World Twenty20 in the West Indies. England and Claire struggled in this tournament. Their only win was against South Africa, after they were already out of the competition. Claire scored only 24 runs in the tournament.

Later that summer, England hosted New Zealand. Claire was England's top run-scorer in the ODI series, with 166 runs. She scored half-centuries in two matches. In their next series, a tour of Sri Lanka, Claire started strong. She scored 73 runs in a close win against Sri Lanka. However, she did not score double figures in any other innings on that tour.

Claire got a shoulder injury during a warm-up match on their next tour of Australia. This meant she could not play for the rest of the tour.

Retirement from International Cricket

Her injury healed by the start of the 2011 season. Claire did not make a big impact in England's first two matches of the Twenty20 Quadrangular series. However, in the third match, she scored 66 runs from 46 balls against India. This helped England win by a large margin.

England won the Twenty20 tournament. This was followed by an ODI Quadrangular tournament. Claire scored at least 30 runs in three of her four innings. She finished among the top run-scorers in the series, which England also won.

At the end of this series, Claire announced she was retiring from international cricket. She finished her career with batting averages over 40 in both Test and ODI cricket. At the time she retired, only Charlotte Edwards had scored more ODI runs than her. She continued to play for Berkshire until the end of the 2011 season.

Claire's Playing Style

When she was a teenager, Claire was thought to be a better hockey player than a cricketer. When she started playing for Thames Valley, she was seen as a wicket-keeper with average batting skills. At university, she started to improve her batting. She played with the men's team for her college.

Playing with men meant she had to learn to hit the ball off the back foot. This was different from women's cricket, which usually involves hitting off the front foot. After graduating in 1997, she made her England debut in 1998. She batted low in the order because she was picked as a wicket-keeper.

She wanted to improve her batting, so she started one-on-one coaching with Mark Lane. It was unusual for an England women's player to have private coaching then. Claire paid for the sessions herself. Lane helped her improve her mental approach to batting and made technical changes. He also encouraged her to use hockey-style shots, which felt natural to her. At her best, she used her intelligence to find gaps in the field. She said she had a "3D awareness of the shape of the field and where the spaces are."

Awards and Recognition

Claire Taylor was the first woman to be chosen as Wisden's Cricketer of the Year in 2009. The editor said she was chosen because she was the best in her sport. She was nominated for the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year in 2007 and 2008. She won the award in 2009.

She was also named the England and Wales Cricket Board's Women's Player of the Year in May 2009. For her success in 2009, Claire was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours list. During her career, she was ranked number one in the ICC batting rankings for both ODI and Twenty20 International cricket.

When she retired, former Test cricketer Mike Selvey said she was "perhaps the finest batsman the women's game has seen."

See also

• List of centuries in women's One Day International cricket
• List of centuries in women's Test cricket