Laura Harper

Laura Julyen Harper (born 22 January 1984) is an English former international cricketer who played for the England women's cricket team. At the time of her debut, she was the youngest player to have played for England.

She made her Test cricket debut against Australia at Shenley in 2001 and last appeared against India in Delhi in 2005. In six Test matches she scored 182 runs and took 11 wickets bowling off spin best innings figures of five wickets for 66.

She played 25 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 195 runs and taking 33 wickets. She made her One Day International debut against the Netherlands in 1999 in the Women's European Championships at the age of 15 and won the player of the match award after taking 5/12, her best ODI bowling figures.[1] She played in the World Cup in New Zealand in December 2000.

She earned her first international call-ups whilst studying for her GCSE examinations at Truro School and played whilst studying A-levels at Truro College, Cornwall.[2][3] She played her regional cricket for Somerset women from 2001 to 2006 and for the Braves from 2002 to 2003, the Super Strikers from 2004 to 2005 and Emeralds in 2006 in the 'Super Fours' elite women competition. She also appeared for England under-21s Women in 2004.

Harper started playing cricket aged eight and began bowling off spin at ten. She played with Cornwall boys under-11s and progressed through the age groups, touring South Africa in 1997. She was selected for an England boys under-15 trial but chose to play for Somerset in the Women's County Championship instead.

Harper is currently the Deaputy Head of Sport at Sherborne Preparatory School in Dorset.