THE head of Malvern College has this week paid tribute to sportswoman Rachael Heyhoe Flint, who served for many years on the council of the independent school.

Baroness Heyhoe Flint, who died last week aged 77, was the creator of the initial women’s cricket world cup in 1973 and the England captain against Australia at Lord’s in 1976 – the first time women were allowed to play at the home of cricket.

In a near 20-year international career, she represented her country 45 times in tests and one-day internationals.

Malvern College head Antony Clark said: "Rachael was a member of the Malvern College Council for nearly ten years and remained a governor at the college until 2008. We were fortunate to have benefitted from her great energy and her passion for getting things done.

"She had enormous charm and a sense of humour which helped those around her to pursue goals with the same level of enthusiasm that she brought to every task. We greatly admire her lifetime achievements."

Rachael Heyhoe Flint became the first women to be elected to the full MCC committee and was the first woman to be inducted into the ICC’s Hall Of Fame in 2010.

Baroness Heyhoe Flint, who was awarded an MBE in 1972 and OBE in 2008, also had significant involvement in other sports.

She was goalkeeper for the England hockey team in 1964 and became a director of Wolverhampton Wanderers in addition to being appointed to the House of Lords as a working peer in 2010.

The chief executive of Worcestershire County Cricket Club Tom Scott said: “Rachael has been described as ‘the WG Grace of women’s cricket’ and that sums things up perfectly.

“She made a massive contribution to all facets of the game from player, with an outstanding record for England spanning more than two decades, to administrator.

“But her contributions to other sports was also immense as well as other facets of her life including becoming a working peer in the House Of Lords."