Rachael Heyhoe Flint dies: Robert Plant and Steve Bull lead tributes to a Wolverhampton sporting legend

Rock legend Robert Plant, one of Rachael's fellow Vice-Presidents, said: "This is sad news indeed as Rachael was a unique and wonderful lady – straight talking and no messing with bundles of energy, sensitivity and great humour.

"She loved the city, the people and, of course, the football.

"She was a great ambassador to all three. My condolences go out to her family at this sad time."

Wolves legend Steve Bull, who is also a club vice president, said: "Rachael was like my right arm when we used to work at the club together.

"She really took me under her wing.

"We would work on community events together and just built up a great relationship from there and went on to become very good friends.

"Just a top, top lady, so bubbly all the time, and it is just really sad that she has gone.

"She was a very proud lady and I know she didn't want too many people to know she wasn't well but I was fortunate to be able to go and see her in recent weeks.

"She will be sorely missed but will always be remembered at Wolves."

Director John Gough said: "I knew Rachael for over thirty years and it was probably through golf as we were both members of South Staffs.

"But we became closer friends through Wolves.

"Rachael was very instrumental in helping Sir Jack when he first took over the club.

"In fact I would say she was his right arm at the club in those early days when he wasn't in the country.

"I remember she invited me and Kevin Threlfall for a chat with Sir Jack about the club and a few weeks later we got the call from him inviting us on the board.

"That was in 2006 and it was all through Rachael.

"She was a fantastic ambassador for the club and she was someone I could go to, as a director, and have a private conversation with as a friend.

"She was an incredible worker and proud of the city. She used to say: "We'm all yam yams ay we?"

"When Sir Jack died she was determined that he should have a good send off and she certainly deserves one herself. I'm really going to miss her."

Wolves Head Coach Paul Lambert said: "I wasn't fortunate enough to meet Rachael but I knew all about her sporting success and have been told how much she did for Wolves," he said.

"From talking to the staff around the place it sounds like she made a great contribution to the club and was always a really positive and lively presence.

"Not only that but she did so much work around the community and her achievements in so many different areas speak for themselves.

"She is going to be sorely missed by so many people, and I would like to send my own condolences to all of her family and friends."

The Leader of the City of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Roger Lawrence, said: "We are terribly saddened to hear of the passing of Rachael Heyhoe-Flint OBE.

"She was a fantastic ambassador for the City of Wolverhampton with a long and distinguished sporting career, captaining the England women's cricket team from 1966 to 1978 and leading them to victory in the World Cup of 1973. She was also the first women to be inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame.

"Rachael went on to become a highly respected journalist, broadcaster, businesswoman and board director. She was the first woman to be elected to the full committee of the MCC and latterly a Trustee, and was president of the Lady Taverners charity for a decade.

"She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands in 1997, and also gave sterling service to Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, first as director and later as vice-president, and was rightly granted the Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton in 2011. She was also inducted into Wolverhampton's Sporting Hall of Fame.

"She was a proud Wulfrunian and always spoke well of the City and its people. She will be much missed by all who knew her and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time."

Rachael became near synonymous with women's cricket in this country, in an era when her sport struggled at times to achieve its current prominence.

She remained a high-profile presence after her retirement as a player thanks to her many administrative and public roles.

The BBC's Test Match Special team was among the first to respond via Twitter, describing Heyhoe-Flint as a "legend" and a "pioneer" after the MCC announced she had died.

"MCC is deeply saddened to hear that Honorary Life Member, Rachael Heyhoe Flint has died aged 77," the club posted on its Twitter feed.

"...in a 20-year-career (she was) considered one of the finest women's players ever."

TMS added: "Such sad news. Thoughts of all @bbctms go to her family. A legend and pioneer".

MCC president Matthew Fleming added that Baroness Heyhoe-Flint was the first "global superstar" of women's cricket.

The MCC flag on the Lord's clock tower has been lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect for a cricketer who played in the first women's match to take place at the ground - against Australia in 1976.

In a very personal, heart-felt tribute, Fleming said: "This is a terribly sad day for everyone involved in cricket and all of us at MCC.

"Rachael Heyhoe Flint was a pioneer of women's cricket - she was the first global superstar in the women's game - and her overall contribution to MCC, cricket and sport in general was immense.

"In 1999, Rachael was elected as one of the first 10 female members of MCC, and she became a central figure in the club.

"Her impact on MCC, be it through events on the field or in the committee room, was immeasurable - and her enthusiasm, wisdom and gentleness of character will be missed by everyone with whom she came into contact.

"We all loved her."

Rachael hit almost 1,600 runs at 45.54 in her 22 Tests, and averaged more than 58 in her 23 one-day internationals.

She was inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame in 2010, having become an honorary life member at the MCC in 1999 and gone on to serve two terms on the club committee.

Clare Connor, England and Wales Cricket Board's director of women's cricket and also a former national captain, told Sky Sports News: "We talk of trailblazers, women in sport who have really broken boundaries - new ground - Rachael is up there with the very, very best of them."

The ECB used the same word, "trailblazer" in a statement.

It read: "Her contribution to the development of cricket in this country and beyond has been immense."

ECB chairman Colin Graves added: "I sat with Rachael on the ECB board for five years and considered it a privilege.

"She achieved so much for women's cricket, and she was especially influential both on the board and in the House of Lord's, in what we did to tackle the problem across all sports for ticket touting.

"Her knowledge and understanding of key areas of the game was valued enormously by all their fellow directors.

"She was such an approachable person - she got on with everybody from whatever walk of life. The development of women's cricket to its current position, which really is unrecognisable from when Rachael was playing, is a lasting tribute to her."

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison described her as "... simply extraordinary ... a lifelong ambassador for cricket in its widest context".

He said: "Hugely energetic, committed, passionate and caring - cricket was hugely enhanced by her fearless approach and pioneering spirit, not to mention her wicked sense of humour which made her such wonderful company.

"She leaves a legacy which reaches way beyond cricket's boundaries, but her contribution to our game over a lifetime is immense."

Connor added: "She was my friend and mentor and inspiration - and I am not alone. Her impact, kindness and support was widely felt by so many.

"Rachael was one of our sport's true pioneers, and it is no exaggeration to say that she paved the way for the progress enjoyed by recent generations of female cricketers.

"I will always remember and continue to be inspired by her fortitude, her deep love of the game and her wicked, wonderful sense of humour. We are all in her debt on this very sad day."