Cathryn Fitzpatrick (b. 1968) is considered the fastest bowler in women's cricket. Since first representing Australia in 1991 she has accumulated numerous cricketing honours, including most recently the 2005 World Cup. In 2004 she was named Australia's International Cricketer of the Year. After the Australian team's 2005 tour of England - during which Australia narrowly lost the Ashes but won the 5-match limited over series - Fitzpatrick parried speculation about her retirement by suggesting that her best cricketing moment might still lie ahead of her. Indeed, in February 2006 she took a five wicket haul as Australia walloped India by six wickets in the first one-day women's international in Adelaide. Fitzpatrick's three-wicket opening burst left India reeling at 4 for 19, a position from which they were unable to recover. Having earned her living in the past as a garbage- and post-woman, she currently works as a scholarship coach with the Australian Sports Commission.
