Jess Kerr

Jess Kerr's rise in international cricket is often cast in the shadow of her younger sister, Amelia, yet she's been carving her own identity as a dependable player. A medium pacer and handy lower order batter, Kerr earned her international call up in early 2020, making her ODI debut against South Africa and her T20I debut shortly after.

Coming from a cricketing lineage - her parents played domestic cricket, and her maternal grandfather Bruce Murray represented New Zealand in 13 Tests - she rose to prominence in the domestic circuit by leading the wicket charts in the 2019-20 Women's Super Smash for Wellington Blaze.

In international cricket, Kerr has been used primarily as a new ball bowler or a first-change option. Her ability to swing the ball and bowl accurately makes her a useful wicket taking option in all conditions. In the shorter format, she has added value with the bat.

Growing up in the Wellington suburb of Tawa, she broke age-group records as a runner. Diagnosed with Bell's palsy when she was nine and Type 1 diabetes at 13, she faced significant early health challenges, managing partial facial paralysis and later transitioning from daily insulin injections to an insulin pump to stabilise her condition. In her teens, she was diagnosed with compartment syndrome that eventually ruled out a future in athletics and nudged her towards cricket.