The New Zealand Women’s cricket team has been dealt a significant setback ahead of their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka as fast bowler Jess Kerr has been ruled out due to a broken toe. The injury occurred when Kerr was struck on the toe while batting in the nets last week, and subsequent scans confirmed the presence of a fracture. The recovery process for Kerr is estimated to take up to six weeks, necessitating a period of rehabilitation.
In light of Kerr’s unfortunate injury, her Wellington Blaze teammate Leigh Kasperek has been announced as her replacement for the tour. Kasperek will rejoin the White Ferns squad for the first time since the tour to England in 2021. The talented off-spinner brings a wealth of experience to the team, having represented New Zealand in 39 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 46 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), claiming 140 wickets. Notably, Kasperek is the second all-time leading T20I wicket-taker for New Zealand.
During the previous season, Kasperek showcased her exceptional skills by finishing as the second leading wicket-taker in both the Super Smash and Hallyburton Johnstone Shield. Her consistent performances earned her the Wellington Blaze Player of the Season award. Currently in Scotland, Kasperek will join up with the White Ferns squad upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
The New Zealand Women’s team is presently in the final stages of their training camp at NZC’s High Performance Centre in Lincoln. They are scheduled to depart for Sri Lanka on Thursday.
“Picking up an injury so close to departure for a tour is always disappointing. Jess is a key part of our bowling group in both formats and will be missed on what will be a challenging tour. Jess has been working really hard over the winter and we were excited to see how she would perform in new conditions for her, but we’re confident she will be back fit and ready for our next challenge after Sri Lanka,” said White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer as quoted by Stuff.
