Amelia Melie Kerr of New Zealand batting Photo: PHOTOSPORT
White Fern Melie Kerr has been unstoppable over the last six months winning the T20 World Cup as well as domestic T20 titles in New Zealand and India and she is hoping her success continues as the White Ferns see out the summer against Australia.
"Looking back that's a lot of wins in a short space of time, I've also experienced a lot of losses in a short space of time as well so that's just how the game goes, you've got to try and stay pretty level in the game of cricket because when it sucks it can suck but you don't want to go too low and you also want to enjoy the highs without getting too high when it happens."
Kerr missed the White Ferns' series against Sri Lanka, which wrapped up this week, to play in the WPL with the Mumbai Indians.
The ICC women's player of the year said missing games for her country was "hard" but playing in the WPL improves her game.
"It's pretty challenging but also to have some of the world's best players in your team as well for me sitting back and watching Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur bat I can learn so much about what they do and if I can implement what they do into my game... it's really important in terms of helping me grow as a cricketer."
Melie Kerr (L) and Hayley Matthews of the Mumbai Indians celebrate a wicket. Photo: photosport
Kerr was seen as a future White Ferns captain, possibly as soon as next season when the next T20 skipper was appointed, and leadership was something she was comfortable with wherever she was.
"At Mumbai I am part of the leadership group so there is a bit of a responsibility there and trying to observe a lot but have impact when I think it is important and offer my thoughts if needed.
"But I think as overseas pros in competitions your role is to be a leader and obviously they want you to perform but also to step up in the off-field stuff and help others because they're not just getting you for your runs and wickets, you also want to be a great team mate and help others where you can."
While she was in India an injury-hit White Ferns were forced to find up and coming talent to replace Kerr and the experienced Sophie Devine who was taking a well-being break.
A dodgy internet link stopped Kerr from getting to fully appreciate what the New Zealanders were doing in her absence.
"I've never had a VPN in my life where you can watch stuff so I thought I'd buy one in India so I could watch the White Ferns and TVNZ didn't allow the VPN to work so I was pretty gutted I couldn't watch.
"I'd check in and watch the highlights where I could but mostly it had to be on checking the scorecard because the VPN didn't work but it's always nice seeing hundreds scored and so for Georgia (Plimmer) and Maddy (Green) to get a couple of centuries and (bowler) Bree Illing looked pretty impressive she got Chamari (Athapaththu) out a few times that's always good to see.
"I've seen them domestically and I think there is real talent there and it's exciting to see what future they'll have for New Zealand."
Kerr said the opportunities players had had against Sri Lanka helped to create "a more competitive environment" and more depth.
White Fern's Bree Illing celebrates her first international wicket. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"That's hopefully what we're going to see more of if there is New Zealand A series and they get opportunities, as well the game is going to keep growing and you start building a pool of say 30 players who are competitive to play for New Zealand and hopefully that's going to help us get better and better."
The White Ferns are looking ahead to the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India in October and their last competitive hit out for a few months will come against the world number one T20 side Australia in three games starting at Eden Park on Friday.
"They are consistently the best team in the world so it's a great challenge for us and we have a nice squad, I mean it's three games of cricket, cricket is very fickle, anything can happen but if we can turn up compete and play our best cricket but most importantly if we can stick to how we want to play as a team then the outcome will be what it will be.
"If we can live and die by our game plan and be fearless then we give ourselves the best chance of winning these games."
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