London, Dec 5 (UNI) Eileen Ash, the world's oldest former Test cricketer, passed away at the age of 110.
The former right-arm seamer made her Test debut against Australia at Northampton in 1937. She represented England on seven occasions before retiring in 1949. In domestic level, Ash played for Civil Service Women, Middlesex Women and South Women.
Ash rang the bell at the Lord’s ahead of the 2017 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup finals between India and eventual champions England. Two years later her portrait was unveiled at the Home of Cricket, where she held a life-long honorary MCC Membership.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Managing Director of Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor on Saturday expressed her sadness on learning the demise of Ash.
“Our sport owes so much to its pioneers and Eileen was one of them. I am deeply sad to be saying goodbye to her today," Connor said in a statement.
“Heather (Knight) and I went to visit Eileen about six months before the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup – she was 105 at the time – and it was one of the most remarkable experiences. Eileen taught Heather yoga, we played snooker, we drank cups of tea and we leafed through newspapers and scrapbooks celebrating Eileen’s time as a player in the 1930s and 1940s.
“She regaled us with some amazing stories, including how she came to have her bat signed by Sir Donald Bradman at a French restaurant in Sydney in 1949! I know neither of us will ever forget that day, it was so special.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Eileen’s family as they come to terms with losing such a wonderful woman and the end of an astonishing life," she added.
UNI PN