Women's cricket great Heyhoe-Flint dies

Former England cricket captain and campaigner for the women's game Rachael Heyhoe-Flint has died aged 77.

Former England cricket captain and figurehead Rachael Heyhoe-Flint has died aged 77. (AAP)

Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, who became a figurehead for women's cricket after captaining England to World Cup glory, has died. She was 77.

Heyhoe-Flint's death was announced Wednesday by the Marylebone Cricket Club.

During an international career lasting almost 20 years, Heyhoe-Flint represented England 45 times in Tests and one-day internationals. She won the 1973 World Cup

MCC President Matthew Fleming says Heyhoe-Flint was "the first global superstar in the women's game and her overall contribution to MCC, cricket and sport in general was immense."

Heyhoe-Flint was one of the MCC's first female members and was the first woman elected on to the club's full committee in 2004. The MCC are the guardians of the laws of cricket.