ANDREW STRAUSS – Retired
I got to play with Andrew in the Rwanda Cricket Foundation charity match and it was a real honour to be able to play alongside him. A fantastic opening batsman to have for my dream team and he was great during his captaincy of England especially during the Ashes.
CHARLOTTE EDWARDS – Kent & England
Truly a legend in the women’s game. When I started my career she was one of the player’s I wanted to play alongside and I was lucky enough to do so when I made my debut for England in 2010. Her record speaks for itself and she’s a fantastic sportswoman.
CLAIRE TAYLOR – Retired
I was able to play with Claire for England as she was coming to the end of her international career and I was just starting off my own. She and Charlotte were mainstays in the England team and did so well during the time they played together and left a massive mark on the game.
BRIAN LARA – Retired
As with Strauss, I got to play with Brian as part of a Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation charity match, a charity he is patron of. It was an amazing feeling to partner up with someone who is such a legend in this game and the fact it was a worthy cause made it so much better. He was wearing these red velvet shoes when I first saw him, he just seemed like a really cool guy.
SARAH TAYLOR– Sussex & England
I got my debut for England coming in for Sarah when she was injured and since then I’ve managed to play alongside her a number of times. She’s managed to do so much in the game already and she’s only 26 so she’s still got a lot of her career ahead of her. Going into bat, she’s crucial for England and is a crucial part of the success we’ve had.
ERIN BERMINGHAM – New Zealand
I got to play with her during the Super 4’s and it was good to play alongside a player from another country and see how the game is developing internationally. I also got to play against her during our series in New Zealand last year and she was a difficult player to come up against.
PAUL NIXON – Retired
Again, a player I teamed up with during the charity match. It’s a great feeling to get involved in matches like this because not only are you able to play alongside some great cricketers, such as Paul, but you also get the chance to get involved with a worthy cause. Paul is a great wicketkeeper and is someone who does really well when lower down the order.
CLARE CONNOR – Retired
Another legend in women’s cricket. She retired in 2005 so I never got to play alongside her for England but I did get the chance during the same charity game I teamed up with Brian Lara and Andrew Strauss. She did so much when she was playing and now she’s head of women’s cricket and it’s great to have someone like her in charge of moving the game forward.
KATHERINE BRUNT – Yorkshire & England
She’s been playing for England for more than ten years now and she’s a fantastic asset to the team. A really dangerous bowler and solid when called up to bat. She’s another one of the leading lights in the women’s game so I think she has to have a place on my dream team.
KATE CROSS – Lancashire & England
Kate is a really strong bowler who has broken into the England side in the past couple of years and has produced some great performances. She made a bit of a name for herself recently when she played in a men’s league game and I was really proud of her performance.
ANYA SHRUBSOLE – Somerset & England
A great bowler for England and a difficult one to come up against if ever you have to face her. She has played in World Cups for England and has always given a good account of herself. It’s great to have someone like her in the team and that’s why she rounds out my dream team.
This article was originally published in The Cricket Paper, June 5 2015
