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Ebony Rainford-Brent, former England cricketer

Ebony Rainford-Brent, former England cricketer, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Former cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent is the first Black woman to play for England and she was part of the team which won the Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2009. Today she is a broadcaster and cricket commentator for Channel 4, Sky Sports and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s Test Match Special.

Ebony was born in south London and as a child it was football that caught her attention, especially Liverpool FC and her hero Robbie Fowler. At primary school she was encouraged to have a go at cricket through a charity called Cricket For Change which was set up to encourage more state school children into the sport. Holding a bat in her hands for the first time, she hit the ball as hard as she could and, as she watched it soar through the air, she was hooked.

Ebony started out playing for Surrey Cricket Club’s Under 11’s team as a bowler. In 2003 a serious back injury forced her to stop playing and she thought her sporting career was over. She was determined to prove the medics wrong so she retrained as a batswoman as batting was easier on her back.

In 2007 she made her debut for England and two years later was part of the World Cup-winning team. In 2020 Ebony joined forces with Surrey Cricket Club and founded the African-Caribbean Engagement Programme (ACE) to build grassroots cricket programmes for young people in black communities across the UK. In 2021 she was awarded an MBE for her services to cricket and charity.

DISC ONE: Cold Sweat - James Brown
DISC TWO: Girlie Girlie - Sophia George
DISC THREE: Pass Me Over - Anthony Hamilton
DISC FOUR: A Long Walk - Jill Scott
DISC FIVE: Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin
DISC SIX: Never Forget - Take That
DISC SEVEN: Superheroes - Stormzy
DISC EIGHT: Work To Do - The Isley Brothers

BOOK CHOICE: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
LUXURY ITEM: A drum kit
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: A Long Walk - Jill Scott

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley

Available now

59 minutes

Last on

Last Friday 09:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • James Brown & The Famous Flames

    Cold Sweat

    • Cold Sweat.
    • Polydor.
    • 1.

  • Sophia George

    Girlie Girlie

    • Love is All I Bring.
    • Trojan Records.
    • 3.

  • Anthony Hamilton

    Pass Me Over

    • Ain't Nobody Worryin'.
    • So So Def.
    • 7.

  • Jill Scott

    A Long Walk

    • By Popular Demand.
    • Hidden Beach Records.
    • 7.

  • Aretha Franklin

    Rock Steady

    • The Very Best of Aretha Franklin Vol. 2.
    • Rhino Atlantic.
    • 1.

  • Take That

    Never Forget

    • Take That Greatest Hits.
    • Sony Music CG.
    • 2.

  • Stormzy

    Superheroes

    • Heavy Is the Head.
    • Warner Records (Warner Music UK).
    • 4.

  • The Isley Brothers

    Work To Do

    • The Ultimate Isley Brothers.
    • Epic/Associated/Legacy.
    • 4.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 8 Dec 2024 10:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Last Friday 09:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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