Avril Fahey played international cricket for five years, and managed to squeeze two World Cups into that time. She was part of the Australia squad for two years from 1995 before finally making her debut in February 1997. Later that year she won the World Cup in India, and was part of the side who lost against New Zealand in 2000.

Fahey, a right-arm offspinner, had made her debut for Western Australia in 1992-93, and she is still their captain. In 2000/01 she took 6 wickets with best figures of 3/18, and chipped in with 3 catches, all of which helped to propel her into the national side. She proved herself to be a tough competitor and valuable middle order batsman at state level. For Australia she was required to bat in just nine of the 40 ODIs she played, testament to their strong batting. And in that 40-match career she was on the losing side just three times.

But her biggest challenge is perhaps yet to come. She and team-mate Angele Gray are riding across Australia to raise money for diabetes work. In 2003, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and is now determined "to prove that people with diabetes can achieve anything they want, crazy or otherwise!" She has taken time out from her work as an occupational therapist to do the ride, although her dream job is to be a restaurant critic.

Jenny Thompson June 2007

• Players gear up for charity bike ride (Jun 4, 2007)
  
• 2002-03 AIS Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad announced (Apr 11, 2002)
  
• Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad chosen for United Kingdom tour (May 15, 2001)

Jun 3, 2007 Avril Fahey portrait © CA

Jun 3, 2007 Australia's Angele Gray and Avril Fahey prepare for the Diabetes Ride Across Oz © Sue Flett

Dec 4, 2005 Avril Fahey prepares to late cut © Getty Images

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