Ashlyn Kilowan

Despite not even picking up a cricket ball until she was 17, Ashlyn Kilowan made her debut for Boland the same year and broke into the South African first team at just 20 years of age. By 2007 she was named South African Women's Cricketer of the Year and was also nominated for the ICC award as well, losing out to India's Jhulan Goswami.

Her left-arm swingers collected ten wickets in the four-match series against Pakistan in 2007 and in the one-off Test against the Netherlands later that year she was hit for just two runs in 11 overs. She also represented an African XI against Asia in a Twenty20 fixture where she returned impressive figures of 3 for 16 from four overs.

She now represents Western Province and has beaten her former club in the domestic final two seasons in succession. She is generally good enough to bat in the middle order as she has a solid technique, but it is her bowling that is likely to earn her more plaudits.

Alan Curr September 2007