Jess Kerr, a fast bowler, can’t go on New Zealand’s planned tour of Sri Lanka because she broke her toe. Last week, Kerr was hit on the toe while hitting in the nets, and scans afterward showed a break. She will need up to six weeks of therapy to get better. Leigh Kasperek has been named Kerr’s deputy.
“It’s always disappointing to get hurt so close to the start of a tour,” said Ben Sawyer, the head coach of the New Zealand women’s team. “Jess is an important part of our bowling team in both formats, and we’ll miss her on this tough tour.”
“Jess has been working hard all winter, and we were interested to see how she would do in conditions that were new to her,” Sawyer said. “But we’re sure she’ll be back in shape and ready for our next challenge after Sri Lanka.”
Kasperek, on the other hand, has been chosen to play for New Zealand for the first time since the tour of England in 2021. She has played in 39 ODIs and 46 T20Is before, in which she took 65 and 75 wickets. The number of wickets she has taken in T20Is puts her in second place all-time for New Zealand. Kasperek has been playing well for Wellington Blaze in local competitions.
“Leigh has had a tough 18 months since the World Cup,” Sawyer said, “but he’s always been a player we’ve been watching.” “She didn’t make the team because Fran Jonas and Eden Carson have been doing so well, and the spin positions have been some of the most hotly contested in our team.”
“With Leigh, Fran, Eden, and Melie (Kerr), we have a lot of spin bowlers, and that’s the kind of depth we want to have in all spots in the end. Leigh has a lot of experience traveling around the world, and I’m sure she’ll do well in Sri Lanka if she gets the chance,” Sawyer said.
The New Zealand women’s team is having a training camp at the NZC High Performance Centre in Lincoln right now. On Thursday, they will leave for Sri Lanka.
