Valley’s finest ever cricket star

KATHERINE Gayle Raymont, the youngest child of Herb and Monnie Raymont of Glenore Grove, was born at the Laidley Hospital on October 31, 1959.

A gifted and dedicated sportswoman, she represented her school at basketball, athletics, netball and softball and the Darling Downs Secondary Schools Zone in softball and athletics.

In 1982 she took up her current appointment at the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus.

In 1990 Katherine Raymont became the first Queensland women’s cricketer in 34 years to represent Australia at test level and the first Queenslander to play a one-day international.

On the 1990 Australian tour of New Zealand, opening the batting in each of three tests, she averaged 28.4 with a highest score of 47 runs.

Australia won the test series 1-0 and the one-day series 2-1.

She is one of only eight Queenslanders to have played test cricket for Australia.

Her rise to international honours followed years of dedication and kilometres of travel.

Katherine did not take up competitive cricket until 1979 when, at the age of 19, she moved to Brisbane to study and work.

Her ability quickly became evident and she was selected in the Queensland team for the first time in the 1980-81 season.

She became vice-captain of the state team for the 1983-84 season and subsequently was appointed captain the following season.

She remained captain until her retirement from interstate competition at the completion of the 1993-94 season.

On four occasions she won the state batting aggregate award and was thrice named Queensland Player of the Year.

Her participation in the sport did not diminish with her retirement from state duties.

While still a player, and for a number of years until 2004-05, she was a state selector.

She has devoted much of her energy to younger players, both as coach and team manager for various state under-age teams.

Katherine is currently women’s coach of the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club’s three female teams.

As a coach she has seen many players progress to state and national level.

During her nine years at Wests, her first-grade side has won four premierships; her second-grade team has won two.

The first-grade competition has been named in Katherine’s honour, with the ladies playing for the Katherine Raymont Shield each season.

She has devoted nine years (1991- 2000) as a director of the Melbourne-based Australian Women’s Cricket Council.

Since women’s cricket in Queensland became part of Queensland Cricket (1997-98), Katherine has been a member of the Women’s Committee and the Grade Committee.

She is now a member of the Women’s Task Group which oversees the enhancement of cricket for girls and women.

In 1985 Katherine was named the Lockyer Valley Senior Sportsperson of the Year and in 1991 she won the Australia Day Laidley Shire Outstanding Achievement in Sports Award.

In 1996 she was made a life member of the Queensland Women’s Cricket Association and, in 2000, was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for her contribution to women’s cricket.