Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent
Encyclopedia
Ebony-Jewel Cora-Lee Camellia Rosamond Rainford-Brent (born 31 December 1983 in Lambeth
, London
) is an English woman cricketer
. She is the first black woman to play for the England team. She currently plays for Surrey Women.
Rainford-Brent is a member of the England Team which won the 9th ICC Women's Cricket World Cup
held in Australia from 9 March - 22 March 2009. England became World Champions beating New Zealand
by 4 wickets in the final held at North Sydney Oval
on 22 March 2009. In the three months following their World Cup win the team went on to win the final of the 2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20
held at Lord's prior to the men's final
. They also won a Natwest One Day series 4-0 against Australia and retained the Ashes after a draw.
, she was raised in Herne Hill
, South-East London. She was the youngest of four children and being the only girl there were squabbles over her name which led her being named Ebony-Jewel Cora-Lee Camellia Rosamond Rainford-Brent to appease everyone.
Her introduction to cricket came courtesy of the charity Cricket for Change
, who visited Ebony's primary school (Jessop Primary School) in her final year. She then attended the Grey Coat Hospital
school in Westminster, London, from 1995 until 2002.
Whilst at Grey Coat Hospital, Rainford-Brent showed considerable sporting prowess and was equally successful at many sports including football and basketball, even representing London at the English Schools Athletics Championships in several disciplines, but she decided to focus on cricket.
Her development, however, was interrupted by a serious back injury, first at the age of 15 when bowling at The Oval
, then again at 19 when she was diagnosed with two prolapsed discs. The problems caused her to take a year out from her studies at University College London
(UCL), and NHS doctors
advised her to give up playing any form of sport.
She sought a second opinion and was put in contact with the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS) programme, who helped to guide her on the road to recovery. Fortunately, the injury abated and she then combined a demanding training schedule with her studies, touring with the England team for six weeks in Chennai
, India
in 2007.
Ebony spent many years playing for Redoubtables Women's Cricket Club in Croydon
but has since moved to Shepperton CC and plays alongside fellow England women's cricket team mates Nicki Shaw
and Caroline Atkins
.
She has been involved with Ashtead
Cricket's junior section as a level 2 qualified coach.
Rainford-Brent is also a singer, drummer and guitarist.
She was named UCL Sportswoman of the Year in March 2007, and graduated from UCL in June 2007 with a Masters in Chemistry having already achieved a BSc in the same subject.
On 14 April 2008 Rainford-Brent was named as one of eight members of the England Women's team offered a coaching contract in partnership with the Cricket Foundation and the England and Wales Cricket Board
. This role sees her take up a coaching and ambassadorial role within the Chance to Shine
programme which was formed to address the decline in competitive school cricket.
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English woman cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. She is the first black woman to play for the England team. She currently plays for Surrey Women.
Rainford-Brent is a member of the England Team which won the 9th ICC Women's Cricket World Cup
2009 Women's Cricket World Cup
The 2009 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the tournament and was held in Australia from 7 to 22 March 2009, using the sport's One Day International format....
held in Australia from 9 March - 22 March 2009. England became World Champions beating New Zealand
New Zealand women's cricket team
The New Zealand women's cricket team played their first Test match in 1935, when they lost to England. Since then they have only won two Tests, once against Australia, and once against South Africa....
by 4 wickets in the final held at North Sydney Oval
North Sydney Oval
-Development:* The first cricket pitch was laid on 6 December 1867, making it one of the oldest cricket grounds in Australia.* The first structure built, in 1879, was a simple pavilion overlooking the cricket ground...
on 22 March 2009. In the three months following their World Cup win the team went on to win the final of the 2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20
2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20
The 2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20 competition took on a different format from that of the men's, having eight teams split into two pools followed directly by the semi-finals and final. All pool stage matches were played at the County Ground in Taunton...
held at Lord's prior to the men's final
2009 ICC World Twenty20
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 was an international Twenty20 cricket tournament which took place in England in June 2009. It was the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament, following the inaugural event in South Africa in September 2007...
. They also won a Natwest One Day series 4-0 against Australia and retained the Ashes after a draw.
Biography
Born New Year's Eve in 1983 at St Thomas' HospitalSt Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
, she was raised in Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
, South-East London. She was the youngest of four children and being the only girl there were squabbles over her name which led her being named Ebony-Jewel Cora-Lee Camellia Rosamond Rainford-Brent to appease everyone.
Her introduction to cricket came courtesy of the charity Cricket for Change
Cricket for Change
Cricket for Change , registered as the London Community Cricket Association, is a UK charity established in 1981 to provide support for young disadvantaged people to be able to take part in Cricket events...
, who visited Ebony's primary school (Jessop Primary School) in her final year. She then attended the Grey Coat Hospital
Grey Coat Hospital
The Grey Coat Hospital is a Church of England comprehensive secondary school for girls in Westminster, London, England.-History:The school was founded on St. Andrew's Day in 1698. Eight members of the congregation of St. Margaret's, Westminster donated towards the founding of the school, initially...
school in Westminster, London, from 1995 until 2002.
Whilst at Grey Coat Hospital, Rainford-Brent showed considerable sporting prowess and was equally successful at many sports including football and basketball, even representing London at the English Schools Athletics Championships in several disciplines, but she decided to focus on cricket.
Her development, however, was interrupted by a serious back injury, first at the age of 15 when bowling at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, then again at 19 when she was diagnosed with two prolapsed discs. The problems caused her to take a year out from her studies at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL), and NHS doctors
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
advised her to give up playing any form of sport.
She sought a second opinion and was put in contact with the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS) programme, who helped to guide her on the road to recovery. Fortunately, the injury abated and she then combined a demanding training schedule with her studies, touring with the England team for six weeks in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 2007.
Ebony spent many years playing for Redoubtables Women's Cricket Club in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
but has since moved to Shepperton CC and plays alongside fellow England women's cricket team mates Nicki Shaw
Nicki Shaw
Nicki Shaw is an English cricketer and former member of the England women's cricket team. She was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and plays county cricket for Surrey, who she currently captains. She is a right arm fast medium bowler and right-handed batsman. She has played 4 tests and over 60 one...
and Caroline Atkins
Caroline Atkins
Caroline Mary Ghislaine Atkins is an English cricketer who has played 6 Tests and 24 ODIs since 2001. She was a member of the side which retained the Ashes on tour in Australia in 2008....
.
She has been involved with Ashtead
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt of Surrey, England, and is just outside of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common.- History :...
Cricket's junior section as a level 2 qualified coach.
Rainford-Brent is also a singer, drummer and guitarist.
She was named UCL Sportswoman of the Year in March 2007, and graduated from UCL in June 2007 with a Masters in Chemistry having already achieved a BSc in the same subject.
On 14 April 2008 Rainford-Brent was named as one of eight members of the England Women's team offered a coaching contract in partnership with the Cricket Foundation and the England and Wales Cricket Board
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
. This role sees her take up a coaching and ambassadorial role within the Chance to Shine
Chance to Shine
Chance to Shine is a 10-year programme run by the charitable Cricket Foundation to encourage competitive cricket in state schools in the UK.Devised and implemented by former cricketer Nick Gandon, it launched with pilot programmes launched in March 2005 - immediately before the 2005 Ashes series -...
programme which was formed to address the decline in competitive school cricket.