Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent

---

female = true
country = England
living = true
dayofbirth = 31
monthofbirth = 12
yearofbirth = 1983
placeofbirth = Lambeth, London
countryofbirth = England
batting = Right-handed
bowling = Right-arm fast-medium
role =
international = true
odidebutdate = 11 August
odidebutyear = 2001
odidebutagainst = Netherlands
odic

lastodidate = 3 March
lastodiyear = 2007
lastodiagainst = New Zealand
columns = 1
column1 = ODI
matches1 = 5
runs1 = 29
bat avg1 = 9.66
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 15
deliveries1 = 96
wickets1 = 2
bowl avg1 = 45.00
fivefor1 = 0
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 1/8
catches/stumpings1 = 2/0
date = 23 June
year = 2008
source = http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/53893.html Cricinfo

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 has also played for England Under-17 Women and a Marylebone Cricket Club Women's Invitation XI. She played two women's One Day Internationals for England in 2001 in the European Championships in Reading, Berkshire.

Biography

Born New Year's Eve in 1983 at St Thomas' Hospital, 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 London Community Cricket Association, who visited Ebony's 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 2007.

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 April 14th 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.

Media

On July 5th 2008 Rainford-Brent participated in a special edition of Sky Sports Cricathlon along with fellow England players Caroline Atkins and Lydia Greenway.

References

* [http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/53893.html Cricinfo page on Ebony-Jewel Cora-Lee R C Rainford-Brent]
* [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc-women/content/story/286727.html Rainford Brent wins UCL Sportswoman of the Year]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/womens_cricket/6266671.stm Making a name for herself]
* [http://sport.independent.co.uk/cricket/article2192911.ece Bubbly Ebony rises after trials of body and soul]
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,2070740,00.html Eyes on the Prize]
* [http://www.ashteadcc.co.uk/Page.aspx?PageID=443 England Rep joins Ashtead]
* [http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/media-releases/coaching-boost-for-england-women,16971,EN.html ECB Women Get chance to shine]
* [http://www.chancetoshine.org/ Chance to shine]
* [http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1126121770/bctid1646768850 England Women show their prowess in a very special cricathlon]