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Birch joins Cricket Foundation Ops team
England all-rounder Rosalie Birch has retired from international cricket in order to pursue her career with the Cricket Foundation’s Chance to shine campaign.
The 25-year-old, who helped England regain the Ashes in 2005 after a 42-year long wait, decided she is unable to commit to future representative competitions which in turn rules her out of England contention.
Since her last international cap 18 months ago, Birch has worked for the Chance to shine campaign and begins her new role as Project Manager and PR Officer in October, splitting her time between managing national projects and assisting with the charity’s PR activities.
Birch, who played 37 ODIs, seven Tests and four Twenty20 internationals, will continue to play for Sussex.
Clare Connor, Head of England Women's Cricket at the ECB, paid tribute to her former team-mate:
"Rosalie has given a huge amount to England women's cricket in the past six years since she burst on to the scene in 2003 with some sensational performances with bat and ball against South Africa and then New Zealand. She has been a superb ambassador for the women's game during these years; always positive, always a team player and always generous with her time over and above the call of duty. We wish her every success in her full-time role with Chance to shine and we are delighted that this role will enable her to have a positive influence with our young cricketing stars of the future."
Birch said: “I am sad to be withdrawing from the England setup and it has not been an easy decision to make but I feel the time is right to move on to the next phase of my life. I have had some wonderful experiences with England and I am very proud of what the team has achieved in the years I’ve been involved. I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved at a time when women’s cricket is on the up; I have been very well supported by ECB and various individuals, to whom I am very grateful. I’m now looking forward to the challenge of my career with the Chance to shine campaign; a cause I feel very passionately about.”
Birch made her England debut six years ago when she took four wickets in the drawn Test with South Africa. She continued that good form in the next match, hitting a career best 62 and taking three wickets as England won by an innings and 96 runs.
The highlight of her Test career, which came two years later, was undoubtedly the Ashes triumph at Hove. Birch's best performance in one-day cricket came in 2004 when she picked up 5-50 against South Africa, a display which helped earn her selection for the World Cup the following year where England reached the semi-finals.
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Archive news
January
- New hospital cricket project launched - 22/01/2010
December
- Season's Greetings from Chance to shine - 19/12/2009
- Pioneering Chance to shine scheme wins UK Coaching Award for ‘Coaching Intervention of the Year’ - 15/12/2009
- Prince’s Trust cricket scheme helps teenager to turn his life around - 02/12/2009
November
- Chance to shine Year 4 Operations Report published - 27/11/2009
- City brokers' dropped catches are fine for Chance to shine - 23/11/2009
- New Lord Mayor launches his Appeal Pitch Perfect, bringing music and sport activities to disadvantaged young people across London - 15/11/2009
- 'Sir Les' helps to raise £20k at C2s Golf Day - 06/11/2009
- The British Library to archive chancetoshine.org - 03/11/2009
October
- Awards shine a light on grassroots cricket stars - 23/10/2009
- Cricket Foundation to benefit from Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2010 - 19/10/2009
- Birch joins Cricket Foundation Ops team - 07/10/2009
- Sit ringside with Strauss for Chance to shine - 07/10/2009
- Law firm’s state school comp at Lord’s a smash hit with youngsters - 01/10/2009
