Rachael Haynes

Rachael Louise Haynes (born 26 December 1986) is an Australian former international cricketer who has won six world championships as a member of the national women's team.

Haynes attended Our Lady of Sion College, completing her VCE in 2004.

After obtaining a Diploma of Management from Box Hill Institute, she studied at the Australian Catholic University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in marketing.

She has also undertaken a Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Southern Queensland.

Haynes made her WNCL debut for Victoria during the 2005–06 season.

She scored 83 not out in the second final of the 2006–07 season to help defeat New South Wales by eight wickets, but her team lost the deciding match by three wickets.

In 2008–09, Haynes broke through for her maiden century and ended the season as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 357 at an average of 44.62.

Her strong campaign ended on a sour note when she was run out for a duck in the final.

At the end of the 2008–09 season, Haynes was selected in the Australia Youth team for a three-match series against New Zealand A but was unable to make a substantial score, aggregating 26 runs at 13.00 as the series was drawn 1–1.

Later in the year, she was selected for the national squad's tour of England.

Haynes was also the fifth-highest run-scorer of the 2009–10 season, making 397 at 39.70.

Haynes made her international debut in an ODI against England at Lord's on 7 July 2009.

She scored 26 from 45 balls before being bowled by Holly Colvin.

The match was abandoned due to rain before Australia's innings was completed.

Haynes made her Test debut three days later at New Road, Worcester.

Australia batted first and collapsed to be 5/28 after the first hour, bringing Haynes to the crease to join captain Jodie Fields.

The pair added a record sixth-wicket partnership of 228 runs from 75.3 overs.

Narrowly missing a century on debut, Haynes was bowled by Laura Marsh for 98, which caused stumps to be called at 7/271.

The following day, she bowled four overs without conceding a run and claimed her maiden Test wicket by dismissing Nicky Shaw as Australia took a 41-run first innings lead.

Haynes scored 16 in the second innings as the visitors set England a target of 273 for victory.

The home team reached 3/106 before insufficient time ensured the match ended in a draw.

Haynes performed strongly as both an opener and middle-order batter during the 2009–10 Rose Bowl series against New Zealand.

She then followed up as the league's second-highest run-scorer in 2010–11 (making 284 at 56.80) and top-scored for her team in the final with 68 off 76 balls, though Victoria suffered defeat in the championship decider at the hands of New South Wales for a third-consecutive season.

Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Haynes moved to Sydney and joined New South Wales' WNCL team.

She topped the league for most runs with 402 at an average of 57.42, which included an innings of 156 from 139 balls in the final, helping to defeat her former Victorian team by 70 runs.

Haynes would go on to win another six championships with New South Wales.

Haynes signed with the Sydney Thunder for the inaugural WBBL season.

In the final against the Sydney Sixers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 January 2016, she top-scored with 37 runs to help the Thunder secure a three-wicket victory and claim the league's maiden title.

The leading run-scorer for the Thunder across WBBL|03 with 426, Haynes was named her team's Most Valuable Player for the season.

She led the way with the bat again in WBBL|04, compiling 376 at an average of 31.33.

A left-handed batter, Haynes was vice-captain of Australia from 2017 to 2022.

Domestically, she achieved prolonged success in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) and the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), winning seven titles with New South Wales and two with the Sydney Thunder.

In her earliest backyard cricket memories, Haynes recalls using a bat carved from a fence paling while playing with her cousins and "always" watching matches on television, which led her to idolising Shane Warne before being inspired by Belinda Clark and Cathryn Fitzpatrick.

Accepting an invitation from a next-door neighbour, Haynes joined North Balwyn Cricket Club at age eleven in her first formal experience with the sport.

Soon after, she was lured to Box Hill Cricket Club and would go on to play at senior level alongside future Australian teammate Meg Lanning.

Her team ended the regular season in second place, but they were knocked out of the tournament by the Brisbane Heat in an "incredible" semi-final at Drummoyne Oval on 19 January 2019 which was noted for its close finish.

Ahead of WBBL|05, Haynes extended her contract with the Thunder and assumed the captaincy of the team, taking over from Alex Blackwell.

After an underwhelming 2019–20 campaign, she rebounded emphatically the following season, leading her team to claim the WBBL|06 title.

Scoring 21 not out in the championship decider at North Sydney Oval, Haynes was the only member of the Thunder playing XI to have also featured in the team's inaugural final triumph.

In April 2022, she was bought by the Welsh Fire for the 2022 season of The Hundred in England.