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Cricket PlayersCWC 2022: Why New Zealand can bank on Amelia Kerr’s all-round skills in World Cup
She was in form against India, scoring the highest in the series and taking seven wickets
Even before a ball is bowled in the ICC Women’s World Cup, picking New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr as the most decisive player could be a safe bet. The 21-year old from Wellington has been in red-hot form this season and that makes the hosts favourites to lift the trophy for the first time since 2000. New Zealand take on West Indies at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Friday.
Kerr finished the five-match series against India with 353 runs—the highest among both sides— at an average of 117.66, including three half-centuries and a hundred. She also took seven wickets and nine catches. In the fourth ODI in Queenstown, Kerr hit an unbeaten 68 from 33 balls before taking 3/30. She also smashed an unbeaten 92 to set up New Zealand’s successful run-chase against the mighty Australians in a warm-up tie, getting to 322 runs with ease.
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A leg-spinner with an excellent googly, Kerr had this to say when she was named player of the tournament after the fifth ODI against India: “Everybody in the team has performed well and we are looking forward to the World Cup. For us, it's not about getting too far ahead. One game at a time and that will be the same for the World Cup as well. Keeping the same processes, play the ball on its merit and with the ball, getting my back leg through and getting in the fight— that’s when I bowl at my best."
“I don't think it's too tough. I have done it my whole life as a kid growing up… As a group we are heading in the right direction, we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and each other as teammates.”
Kerr took a break from the sport for almost one year ahead of the domestic season due to mental health issues which had been troubling her since August 2020. She not only missed the T20 Big Bash League, where Kerr played for Brisbane Heat, but also the New Zealand tour to England last September. She had to seek help from a psychologist.
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“I would have been completely fine to play the games. It was more the time away and being in your thoughts. I had a few things I needed to work on and I was no way in a place where I was able to be away playing cricket,” she had said ahead of the England tour.
Mental health challenges weren’t new for Kerr, who said there had been several triggers through personal events since high school.
In the history of women’s ODIs, Kerr remains the highest scorer — unbeaten 232 against Ireland in 2018.
With 1039 runs and 67 wickets in 46 ODIs, she has moved up in the ICC rankings due to her performance going into World Cup. She is now fourth on the all-rounders’ chart, gaining two positions.
Cricket is in Kerr’s genes. Her mother Jo and father Robbie both played for Wellington. Older sister Jess, who plays for Wellington, is also in the New Zealand World Cup squad. Their grandfather Bruce Murray played Test cricket for New Zealand cousin Cilla Duncan represented New Zealand in football.
Jess is a teacher at Tawa Intermediate and Amelia became a teacher’s aide for autistic students.
