A training shirt of Gisborne Girls' High School old girl and White Ferns international cricketer Kayley Knight has been gifted to the school. From left are Poverty Bay Cricket operations manager Josiah Turner, Knight's uncle Rob Knight, principal Bindy Hannah and PBC director of umpires Jason Trowill. A formal presentation is planned for June.
A training shirt of Gisborne Girls' High School old girl and White Ferns international cricketer Kayley Knight has been gifted to the school. From left are Poverty Bay Cricket operations manager Josiah Turner, Knight's uncle Rob Knight, principal Bindy Hannah and PBC director of umpires Jason Trowill. A formal presentation is planned for June.
Gisborne Girls’ High cricket now has a touchstone.
Poverty Bay Cricket director of umpires Jason Trowill has framed and gifted the school a training shirt of White Ferns rookie and ex-GGHS student Kayley Knight (2017-21).
Hanging in the entrance to the school hall – next to a playing jerseyof two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern Charmaine McMenamin – pace bowler Knight’s top will catch the eye of the next generation and potential cricketers.
It will be taken down and formally presented to the school at a full assembly in June.
Ex-Aucklander Trowill and Knight’s mother Mel, a former Northern Spirit squad member, played together for Horouta for a season of the Poverty Bay B Grade competition. Through his contacts, he also helped to get Kayley sponsorship.
Since then, Kayley has represented her country at Under-19 level and become a vital player in the Northern Districts squad.
Her seven wickets for 35 runs against Central Districts in New Plymouth two seasons ago remains the best figures for any ND representative in a List A fixture.
Her progression saw her make her White Ferns debut last month. Bowling at second change, she took 2-25 in a 110-run win in game two of New Zealand’s T20 series against Zimbabwe at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
She made her one-day international debut earlier this month against South Africa at Wellington’s Basin Reserve in game two of a three-match series won 2-1 by the White Ferns.
Former Gisborne Girls' High student Kayley Knight celebrates a wicket on debut for the White Ferns in a T20 clash with Zimbabwe. Photo / Getty Images
She picked up 2-65 from 10 overs and was at the batting crease with captain Melie Kerr (179 not out) as the White Ferns completed a world-record ODI run chase of 347 with two wickets to spare.
She’s bulit a career and is fulfilling her dream of playing at the highest level.
Girls’ High School principal Belinda Hannah, who saw the hard work and hours put into the female game by New Zealand’s first community cricket co-ordinator, David McDonald, and later by Mel Knight for Girls’ High, Poverty Bay and Tairāwhiti Women’s Cricket Club, noted Kayley’s passion for the game.
“With cricket being a minority sport for girls, we’re very lucky to have had Kayley, our first and only White Fern, come through our school.”
Hannah’s daughter Brooke played for Poverty Bay and ND at age-group level, while Kerryanne Tomlinson, who played for The Netherlands and captained the NZ Māori women’s team, is an old girl of the school.
“Kayley was a good allround sportsperson, and she had great family support as well. We appreciate the significance of this gift,” Hannah said of the shirt.
Trowill, who umpired in Kayley’s 2021 Braves debut against CD at Owen Delany Park in Taupō, said: “Kayley followed in her mum’s footsteps to play for ND, so to see her then represent NZ at the Under-19 World Cup and progress through the ranks to the White Ferns is amazing.
“She’s built a career and is fulfilling her dream of playing at the highest level. I wanted to do this, make this gesture, because Kayley and her mum helped to keep women’s cricket alive here.
“I coach the Makauri Year 5-6 hardball team, and our Lucy Spence, who’s 11 and an aspiring allrounder, won the Junior Girls’ Batting Award at Poverty Bay prizegiving for the Year 6-8 tournament at Hawke’s Bay in February.
“Kayley and fellow Brave and wicketkeeper Holly Topp signed a playing shirt and cap for me on behalf of Lucy at the Gillette Under-19 tournament in Ōtūmoetai last year.
