Karen Rolton

Karen Rolton was a key member of the Australian side for more than a decade, and was given the captaincy in February 2006 replacing Belinda Clark under whom she was vice-captain since 1997. A fluent and quick-scoring top-order batsman (and erstwhile left-arm medium-pacer until she got injured) Rolton was a major part of Australia's success, as underlined by her superb hundred which won her the Player-of-the-Match award in the 2005 World Cup final. Equally adept in both Tests and ODIs, in 2001 she scored 209 not out against England at Headingley, breaking the then women's world record Test score, and that her average in the mid 70s speaks volumes. In her first series as captain Rolton helped Australia to a 3-0 home series win against India in the one-dayers.

Rolton enjoyed a bumper year in 2006, sealing her status as one of the leading inspirational figures in women's cricket to date. She and Aussie teammate Shelley Nitschke managed to scoop up awards for the Commonwealth Bank Players, due to their outstanding performances for their countries, and she also led her side to success against both India and New Zealand in one-day series. Rolton retired in 2010 after playing a world-record 141 one-day internationals. She remains Australia's leading run-scorer in Tests.

Her feats were rewarded in end-2006, when she was named the ICC's Female Player of the Year, the first time the award has been made.

She played club cricket for Port Adelaide alongside fellow international Emma Sampson. Both also played for South Australia, and Rolton passed 4000 WNCL runs in the 2007-08 season.

In the off season, she used to play hockey.

Matthew Austin November 2011