January 28, 2025 • 8 mins
Melie Kerr is touting the resilience of the White Ferns after becoming the first New Zealander to be named the ICC's cricketer of the year.
The allrounder has also won the women's T20 international best player award following her efforts in helping the Ferns win the World Cup, in which she was named player of the tournament.
But Kerr says she doesn't play for awards, and the real highlight is the memories she created with her teammates.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z'B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Joining the program now by Mealy Kerr.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good evening, Melee Chater, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
What a time for you. Not only did you pick
up the gong for the T twenty I Women's Cricketer
of the Year, now you've got the whole shooting match
the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. How good? And
your initial reaction when they gave you the call and
said we think it quite good? Do you want to meddle?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah? I mean I saw I was nominated for those
awards and yeah, I guess it's not really what you
care for or what you think about that. It's nice
there after, I guess a tough year at times the
white ferns, but then to top it off with a
World Cup women to be able to perform at different
(01:00):
stages throughout the year was the highlight. And I guess, yeah,
the most special thing is the people I get to
share it with them. I love representing New Zealand with
that with that group, they're awesome, awesome girl or some
of my best mates, and yeah, it means a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Quite a down Towarth character mainly from the times I've
been talking with you anyway, So that answer was just
about what I thought. You play for poles, you play
for runs, you play for victories, you play for team's success.
This is nice, but it's not the be all and
end all. Do you feel a bit like shy taking
it on board and kind of going thank you very much?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean yeah, awards, you know, it's not like
you have won of title or anything like that, like
winning the World Cup as a whole different feeling, and
awards you don't think about because in the moment you're
just competing in the game and trying to get the
best out of yourself and get the best out of
(02:03):
each other as teammates. So yeah, runs and wickets and
all of that, that's awesomber. I also know, at the
end of the day, and even when you look back
on days that have been bad days are good that
good bad days or good days, you don't actually necessarily
remember what you did. You more remember the memories you
(02:24):
made with your teammates. So although winning is a lot
more fun, and losing as also the off field stuff
so important. And I think that's what I've been most.
What I've most loved about this year is that through
I know, like we lost ten ten games in a
row with the White fans, and the way we stuck
(02:45):
together through that period and just stayed so close and
then had the resilience and character to bounce back during
the World Cup was probably most pleasing thing.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
In your own game itself, do you look to areas
of improvement because you get that gone Being part of
that team is incredible or instrumental in that victory. But
as far as your own roles are concerned, where have
you lifted? Where are you happy with? And where do
you think there needs to be more polished and more
work so I can win another one next year.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I think that's a great thing about cricket. There's
so many different aspects of the game that you're never
the complete player and you can always keep getting better.
So that's the exciting thing for me. I've been around
the international circuit for a while now, but I'm still
very young and there's still so much more I can
do to keep getting better. And I think I guess
(03:42):
a little bit what's in the last years. I think
my bowling's improved a lot and a lot of it
is just simple things in terms of field sets, game
plans and actually going back to what my best bowlers
and bowling to field that suit that rather than bowling
to the better strengths their times and then becoming more
(04:04):
defensive in my plans. And the spin group we have
within the White furn that such an awesome group. They
make bowling so much fun. The spin coach we have,
and I think a lot of my personal success goes
down to that spin group we have because I absolutely
love rolling with them in the nets, competing with them,
learning with them, and yeah, it's probably been again another
(04:29):
highlight of my ear ICEE.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
See Women's Cricketer of the Year. Mealy Kerr joins us,
it's been quite the era that you've been involved in.
You've been around for I like to think how long
it's going to, say ten years at an international level,
but you didn't debut at fourteen, but a long time
and watching the rise and the relevance of women's cricket
over that time, it's been astonishing, hasn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
It has been. I think back too when I debuted
for New Zealand in twenty sixteen and we were playing
out at Lincoln at the university and it was on
the on the live stream. I'm on the what we
have for domestic cricket these days, for the longer formats,
And yeah, to think of that eight years ago to
(05:15):
where the game is now, where we're always playing on TV.
Now you're traveling the world, there's all the different comps
around the world. It's now my job. It's pretty cool
to see that, you know, eight years ago. Actually wasn't
that too long ago. So to see that growth and
it needed to grow as well, and hopefully it continues
to grow because yeah, the investment is going to help
(05:39):
improve the product of the game and it's so awesome
to see it not only in just women's cricket, but
also we've seen it a bit of women's rugby and
women's football, and yeah, you want sport to be a
game for all and a pathway for all. So that's
that's been awesome to see and I guess be alongside
the growth of the game test crickets.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
The next step really, isn't it. If you're like me
and most other cricket fans, you be hanging out to
play tea cricket. How long it's going to take before
you start getting relevant cricket. All do you expect T
twenty one day and says love it, But surely this
is where you want to end. This has got to
be the future.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I agree. I mean test cricket. Everyone speaks about
how much they love playing the game, and I'd absolutely
love to play it and stay a red ball game
in my life. So there's obviously a lot of things
that would have to be put in place beforehand in
terms of loading for I guess physical reasons and injury management.
(06:41):
But yeah, I mean the woman's ashes are starting very
soon and I know they love playing in that. So
if the white firm's got a test opportunity one day,
I'm sure the girls would definitely be putting their hands up.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You mentioned that you're still young in your career. It's
still early doors at twenty four have achieved the status
in the game in New Zealand and globally that comfortable
for you. You have to grow a bit fast when
you're shouldering all of that because it is responsibility to
lead the women's game forward here.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, I don't really think about it as responsibility or
anything too much. As there's so much cricket now, you're
always moving on to the next thing and just trying
to perform and get ready for the next one. And
like the White Men's at the moment, we are a
pretty young group and I don't think it's my responsibility
(07:38):
to grow the game in New Zealand, but I'd love
to play a part in it and help inspire the
next generation and more players to get involved. And I'm
excited about the future of the White Men's too, with
the groups we have. There's so many young kiders coming
through and you know, I think at some point we're
(07:59):
going to lose some of the best players we've ever
had with Susie and Sophie who we lost Amy a
few years ago. So people got to keep adapting and evolving.
But this young group we have is exciting and I
hope it's a bright future for everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Congratulations on your gong, Meelely Kurt, always great chatting with you,
and now go get on and win yourself a title.
Yesterday wasn't happy hunting for you at all on Auckland City,
was it?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It wasn't. But yeah, we'll bounce back and hopefully hopefully
get the Wellington Wellington crowd happy and make it through
the finals.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
For more from sports talk. Listen live to news talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z'B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Joining the program now by Mealy Kerr.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good evening, Melee Chater, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
What a time for you. Not only did you pick
up the gong for the T twenty I Women's Cricketer
of the Year, now you've got the whole shooting match
the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. How good? And
your initial reaction when they gave you the call and
said we think it quite good? Do you want to meddle?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah? I mean I saw I was nominated for those
awards and yeah, I guess it's not really what you
care for or what you think about that. It's nice
there after, I guess a tough year at times the
white ferns, but then to top it off with a
World Cup women to be able to perform at different
(01:00):
stages throughout the year was the highlight. And I guess, yeah,
the most special thing is the people I get to
share it with them. I love representing New Zealand with
that with that group, they're awesome, awesome girl or some
of my best mates, and yeah, it means a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Quite a down Towarth character mainly from the times I've
been talking with you anyway, So that answer was just
about what I thought. You play for poles, you play
for runs, you play for victories, you play for team's success.
This is nice, but it's not the be all and
end all. Do you feel a bit like shy taking
it on board and kind of going thank you very much?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean yeah, awards, you know, it's not like
you have won of title or anything like that, like
winning the World Cup as a whole different feeling, and
awards you don't think about because in the moment you're
just competing in the game and trying to get the
best out of yourself and get the best out of
(02:03):
each other as teammates. So yeah, runs and wickets and
all of that, that's awesomber. I also know, at the
end of the day, and even when you look back
on days that have been bad days are good that
good bad days or good days, you don't actually necessarily
remember what you did. You more remember the memories you
(02:24):
made with your teammates. So although winning is a lot
more fun, and losing as also the off field stuff
so important. And I think that's what I've been most.
What I've most loved about this year is that through
I know, like we lost ten ten games in a
row with the White fans, and the way we stuck
(02:45):
together through that period and just stayed so close and
then had the resilience and character to bounce back during
the World Cup was probably most pleasing thing.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
In your own game itself, do you look to areas
of improvement because you get that gone Being part of
that team is incredible or instrumental in that victory. But
as far as your own roles are concerned, where have
you lifted? Where are you happy with? And where do
you think there needs to be more polished and more
work so I can win another one next year.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I think that's a great thing about cricket. There's
so many different aspects of the game that you're never
the complete player and you can always keep getting better.
So that's the exciting thing for me. I've been around
the international circuit for a while now, but I'm still
very young and there's still so much more I can
do to keep getting better. And I think I guess
(03:42):
a little bit what's in the last years. I think
my bowling's improved a lot and a lot of it
is just simple things in terms of field sets, game
plans and actually going back to what my best bowlers
and bowling to field that suit that rather than bowling
to the better strengths their times and then becoming more
(04:04):
defensive in my plans. And the spin group we have
within the White furn that such an awesome group. They
make bowling so much fun. The spin coach we have,
and I think a lot of my personal success goes
down to that spin group we have because I absolutely
love rolling with them in the nets, competing with them,
learning with them, and yeah, it's probably been again another
(04:29):
highlight of my ear ICEE.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
See Women's Cricketer of the Year. Mealy Kerr joins us,
it's been quite the era that you've been involved in.
You've been around for I like to think how long
it's going to, say ten years at an international level,
but you didn't debut at fourteen, but a long time
and watching the rise and the relevance of women's cricket
over that time, it's been astonishing, hasn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
It has been. I think back too when I debuted
for New Zealand in twenty sixteen and we were playing
out at Lincoln at the university and it was on
the on the live stream. I'm on the what we
have for domestic cricket these days, for the longer formats,
And yeah, to think of that eight years ago to
(05:15):
where the game is now, where we're always playing on TV.
Now you're traveling the world, there's all the different comps
around the world. It's now my job. It's pretty cool
to see that, you know, eight years ago. Actually wasn't
that too long ago. So to see that growth and
it needed to grow as well, and hopefully it continues
to grow because yeah, the investment is going to help
(05:39):
improve the product of the game and it's so awesome
to see it not only in just women's cricket, but
also we've seen it a bit of women's rugby and
women's football, and yeah, you want sport to be a
game for all and a pathway for all. So that's
that's been awesome to see and I guess be alongside
the growth of the game test crickets.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
The next step really, isn't it. If you're like me
and most other cricket fans, you be hanging out to
play tea cricket. How long it's going to take before
you start getting relevant cricket. All do you expect T
twenty one day and says love it, But surely this
is where you want to end. This has got to
be the future.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I agree. I mean test cricket. Everyone speaks about
how much they love playing the game, and I'd absolutely
love to play it and stay a red ball game
in my life. So there's obviously a lot of things
that would have to be put in place beforehand in
terms of loading for I guess physical reasons and injury management.
(06:41):
But yeah, I mean the woman's ashes are starting very
soon and I know they love playing in that. So
if the white firm's got a test opportunity one day,
I'm sure the girls would definitely be putting their hands up.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You mentioned that you're still young in your career. It's
still early doors at twenty four have achieved the status
in the game in New Zealand and globally that comfortable
for you. You have to grow a bit fast when
you're shouldering all of that because it is responsibility to
lead the women's game forward here.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, I don't really think about it as responsibility or
anything too much. As there's so much cricket now, you're
always moving on to the next thing and just trying
to perform and get ready for the next one. And
like the White Men's at the moment, we are a
pretty young group and I don't think it's my responsibility
(07:38):
to grow the game in New Zealand, but I'd love
to play a part in it and help inspire the
next generation and more players to get involved. And I'm
excited about the future of the White Men's too, with
the groups we have. There's so many young kiders coming
through and you know, I think at some point we're
(07:59):
going to lose some of the best players we've ever
had with Susie and Sophie who we lost Amy a
few years ago. So people got to keep adapting and evolving.
But this young group we have is exciting and I
hope it's a bright future for everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Congratulations on your gong, Meelely Kurt, always great chatting with you,
and now go get on and win yourself a title.
Yesterday wasn't happy hunting for you at all on Auckland City,
was it?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It wasn't. But yeah, we'll bounce back and hopefully hopefully
get the Wellington Wellington crowd happy and make it through
the finals.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
For more from sports talk. Listen live to news talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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