SIGNED AND SEALED: Wellington under-15 player Amelia Kerr, batting, has become the youngest player to be signed to The Blaze, the capital's senior women's team.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 070115WCSMCRICKET1
SIGNED AND SEALED: Wellington under-15 player Amelia Kerr, batting, has become the youngest player to be signed to The Blaze, the capital's senior women's team.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 070115WCSMCRICKET1
THE Wanganui Festival of Cricket is a favourite summer haunt for selectors, but for one young cricketer a deal has already been struck.
The first week of the festival at Victoria Park is reserved for the national under-15 girls' tournament and while at 14 Wellington player Amelia (Melie) Kerr iseligible again next year, she is in two minds about whether to return.
Kerr has been selected to play for the senior Wellington women's team The Blaze and for this season at least that will be her focus. She will be the youngest to play for The Blaze.
"I've been coming here to Wanganui for the last two years and I am still allowed back next year, but I'm not sure," Kerr said.
"I got selected to play for The Blaze this season after being picked for the wider squad and then selected from practice games we had.
"There will be a lot of cricket with The Blaze and then there's the under-21 option and a whole lot of school games. I'll get plenty of cricket this season, so I'll just see where that takes me first before deciding whether to return here," Kerr said.
Interestingly, at an earlier age Kerr was not keen on any sporting activities.
"My older sister Jess played club cricket and I wasn't keen on any sport until I was about 5 or 6. I play football in the winter months and until this year I used to do cross-country."
Kerr has been signed to The Blaze as a leg-spin bowler, although she displayed ability with the bat yesterday, retiring at 50 in the clash with Northern Districts.
"I think I'm going to be more of a bowler for The Blaze because I'm not strong enough yet for the drives with the bat," Kerr said.
Meanwhile, Kerr's Wellington under-15 side had their first win of the tournament, reaching Northern Districts' target of 124/5 with three wickets in hand and an over and a half to spare yesterday.
In the crucial match-up between the only two unbeaten sides, defending champions Central Districts were walloped by Auckland. CD were slow to start and then suffered a compete batting collapse to finish all out for just 99 runs.
Auckland easily met that target without losing a wicket and with seven overs in hand.
