Cricket: White Ferns spinner Leigh Kasperek targeting World Cup recall

Leigh Kasperek in action for New Zealand XI against Bangladesh last month. Photo / photosport.nz

A “challenging” year that began with her shock World Cup omission will end with Leigh Kasperek targeting a White Ferns recall.

The veteran offspinner was in February excluded from New Zealand’s squad for the home tournament despite being the national side’s best-performing ODI bowler across the previous four years.

Kasperek was left to watch as the White Ferns experienced a disappointing World Cup, failing to reach the knockout rounds, and reassess her priorities in the sport.

The 30-year-old headed to England for the northern summer and in September helped the Diamonds win the domestic 50-over title, rediscovering her love for cricket before returning to Wellington ahead of another season with the Blaze.

And with a few spots still available in the White Ferns’ squad for the T20 World Cup in February, Kasperek is aiming to play her way back into contention.

“I definitely want to try and push myself back into the White Ferns,” she told Newstalk ZB. “But I can only concentrate on the cricket I have at the moment - and that’s the Blaze and I plan to give it 100 per cent this summer.”

Kasperek and Wellington have had a stuttering start to the season, playing only one of their scheduled three one-day fixtures, a win over Canterbury in which the former Scotland representative took 1-5 from four overs.

But with the Super Smash starting on Christmas Eve – and with current White Ferns players set to be involved in the competition, having already played their last official T20 before the World Cup – Kasperek will have a chance to raise her hand high for selection.

She certainly has the pedigree, last season leading the T20 competition with 20 wickets at an average of 9.35, and boasts an international record of 75 scalps at 14.1 in 46 matches. But as Kasperek knows all too well, prior record counts for only so much.

At the ODI World Cup, one of those preferred proceeded to make an important contribution – with Frankie Mackay taking 10 wickets in six matches – but another played a limited role. Fran Jonas, then 17, bowled six overs with a return of 0-39 in the opening loss to the West Indies, her only involvement in the playing XI at the tournament.

And with Jonas and 21-year-old Eden Carson each picking up three wickets in the White Ferns’ series sweep over Bangladesh this month, complementing legspinning allrounder Amelia Kerr, the path to a recall will not be straightforward.

But Kasperek, who in a New Zealand XI took two wickets in two warm-up games against Bangladesh, is making sure to focus more on enjoyment than her national prospects.

“It’s been a bit of a challenging year but it’s definitely made me reassess and I’m just looking to take each game one at a time and just really enjoy it,” she said. “I’ve come back from England and I’m just absolutely loving my cricket now and loving being part of the Blaze, so long may that continue.

“At any level, people play because they want to enjoy their cricket – I don’t think that changes no matter how far you move up. It’s definitely my biggest focus of the summer, and if I can do that then I’ll be in a good place at the end of it.”