Born on 1st September 1976, in Brighton, Sussex, is former England Test and One Day International captain, Clare Connor CBE.
A right hand batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler, the young allrounder from Sussex came to the attention of the national selectors in 1995 when she was selected in Karen Smithies team in the Women’s European Championship. Used sparingly as a bowler and not batting at all, the experience for Connor would prove valuable as England embarked on a tour of India.
In the third Test at Hyderabad, Connor made her debut. Her first Test wicket the Indian captain, Pramila Bhatt. It was the same Test where Debbie Stock and Clare Taylor held on for a session to save the match.
By 1998 she is batting further up the order and bowling far less. By February 2000, Connor is leading the England ODI team and in 2001 against the visiting Australians she becomes the 13th Test captain of England. She led England for a total of eleven Test matches and had victories over South Africa and Australia. In 66 ODIs as captain she recorded 26 victories.
Post retirement, Clare has risen to become a Director of the ECB and in 2020 was announced as the next President of the MCC, the first woman to have this role in 233 years of the organisation’s existence.
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