New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr prioritises mental health, pulls out of White Ferns' England tour

New Zealand Women’s team’s key all-rounder and one of their star players Amelia Kerr has pulled out of the team’s England tour to prioritise her mental health and well being. The White Ferns’ England tour begins on September 2. They are to play three T20Is and an equal number of ODIs on the tour.

"I love representing New Zealand and playing for the WHITE FERNS. However, after plenty of consultation with my support network, putting my mental health and well-being first is my number one priority. I've not taken this decision lightly I feel this is best for me at the current time,” Kerr was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Sophie Devine, the White Ferns’ skipper said that she and the team respect Kerr’s decision and is certain that whenever she comes back, she will do it with a bang.

"We're obviously going to miss Melie in England. It's important we talk openly about it because it can get tough and we need to ensure our players, teammates and friends are looked after. We're all wrapping around Melie and know she'll make a comeback when she's ready,” she said.

Kerr's importance to the squad can be gauged from the fact that in 41 ODIs, the 20-year-old youngster has taken 61 wickets at an average of 25.40 and has scored more than 600 runs at a batting average of around 30.

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Claudia Green, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Jess Kerr, Katey Martin (wk), Leigh Kasperek, Rosemary Mair, Jess McFadyen* (wk), Thamsyn Newton, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

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MCC to honour Rachael Heyhoe Flint by naming a Lord's gate after her

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Joe Root becomes England's leading run-scorer in international cricket

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Eoin Morgan makes himself available for remainder of IPL 2021

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Bangladesh to host New Zealand for T20I series in September

Bangladesh are all set to host New Zealand for a five-match T20I series in September, confirmed the BCB. The Blackcaps are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 24 and will play a warm-up match on August 28 while the series begins on September 1 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. All the matches will be played at the same venue. The five-match bilateral tie will finish on September 10, nine days before the IPL 2021 resumption. Bangladesh are currently playing Australia at home in a five-match T20I series and lead 1-0. Earlier, the BCB and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had together postponed England's tour of Bangladesh to March 2023. Bangladesh had to host the English team for three T20Is and as many ODIs. “The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have mutually agreed to reschedule England’s planned tour of Bangladesh in September-October 2021 to March 2023,” a BCB release said earlier. “England were due to play three ODIs and Three T20 internationals in Bangladesh this year. According to the itinerary confirmed by the BCB and ECB, the England team will now tour Bangladesh in the first two weeks of March 2023 and play the best of three ODI and T20 international series’ in Dhaka and Chattogram,” it added.