Women's cricket icon Heyhoe-Flint passes away at age 77

Former India women's cricket captain Diana Edulji paid rich tributes to Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, the erstwhile captain of England and a leading light in women's cricket, who passed away yesterday at the age of 77

Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint

Former India women's cricket captain Diana Edulji paid rich tributes to Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, the erstwhile captain of England and a leading light in women's cricket, who passed away yesterday at the age of 77.

Edulji and Heyhoe-Flint met for the first time in 1979 when the India player was part of a touring club team. They did not take long to bond. According to Eduji, Heyhoe-Flint, "was a pioneer and was highly responsible for getting the Lord's Cricket Ground open to women".

Heyhoe-Flint played 22 Tests and 23 ODIs between 1960 and 1979. "It is as a driving force for women's equality in sport that she will be most remembered," said a ESPN Cricinfo report yesterday.

Edulji, meanwhile added: "Rachael was a role model for all of us. She meant a lot to us. Only recently I was enquiring about her when I met an English cricketer who told me that she and her husband were unwell. She had an aura about her. She wanted to see English women's cricket get its due and fought hard for women to play at Lord's. May her soul rest in peace."

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