Charlotte Taylor (cricketer)

Taylor is from New Milton, Hampshire, England, and went to The Arnewood School.[1] She now lives in Southampton, near to the Rose Bowl cricket ground,[2] and works in customer services for an aerospace company.[2][3] Her uncle Neil played minor counties cricket,[4] and her father is the current chairman of New Milton Cricket Club.[5] Both of them have played club cricket for New Milton Cricket Club.[1]

Taylor started playing cricket for New Milton under-9s, and later joined Hursley Ladies cricket team.[1] In 2010, she started playing for Hampshire Women as a batter.[3][6] In 2015, Taylor was part of the Hampshire side that were promoted from Division 3 to Division 2 of the Women's County Championship.[6] In the same year, Taylor played club cricket for Fernhill Cricket Club, taking 15 wickets in the season.[5] In 2017, Taylor suffered a cruciate ligament tear, which meant she was unable to play for two years.[3][4] After her injury, Taylor focused on her bowling. She is now an off spinner who bowls mainly arm balls.[3][6]

In 2020, Taylor was called up to the Southern Vipers squad for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, as an injury replacement.[3][4] After testing negative for COVID-19, Taylor was initially asked to commentate for BBC Radio Solent on the Vipers match against the South East Stars. Instead, Taylor was selected to play in the match,[6] where she took 2/13 from seven overs. In a later match against Western Storm, she took 4/41.[3][4] In the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final against Northern Diamonds, Taylor took 6 wickets for 34 runs, as Vipers won the match and the tournament.[3][7] She was awarded the player of the match award in the final,[6] and her bowling figures were the best of any player in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.[8] In total, Taylor played five matches in the competition, taking 15 wickets, more than any other player.[3][7] Her bowling average was just above 10, and her strike rate was 18 balls per wicket.[2]