Gillian Elizabeth McConway (born 8 May 1950) is a former cricketer who played as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
She played domestic cricket for Wellington and Otago in New Zealand, and for Surrey and East Anglia in England.
[1][2][3][4] As a "tiny tot", she would watch her father, John, playing cricket in their family's backyard with other children from the neighbourhood.
[3] When McConway was seven years old, the family moved to Oamaru, and her father joined Union Cricket Club.
Despite having to wear batting pads that were far too big for her, she scored more than 100 runs against a team including some of North Otago's greats.
[3] At 15, McConway moved to Wellington, where she played secondary school and senior representative cricket as a left arm spin bowler and right-handed batter.
There, a colleague introduced her to Bill Boock, who helped train her and his son, Stephen, a future Black Cap.
[1][2] In an ODI against Australia at Canterbury in 1987, McConway played the unusual role for a spinner of opening the bowling, in what turned out to be England's only win that year against the touring team.
[3] In England, McConway enjoyed gardening, "... and home decorating my Olde Worlde Cottage, something that you can't find in New Zealand.