![]() Kasperek bowling for New Zealand during the
2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Leigh Meghan Kasperek | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Edinburgh, Scotland | 15 February 1992|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Bowling all-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National sides |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 133) | 28 June 2015 New Zealand v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 23 September 2021 New Zealand v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
T20I debut (cap 46) | 11 July 2015 New Zealand v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last T20I | 11 July 2024 New Zealand v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011/12 | Western Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012–2013 | Essex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012/13 | Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013/14–2018/19 | Otago | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Yorkshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019 | Yorkshire Diamonds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019/20–present | Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020 | Velocity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | Northern Diamonds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:
ESPNcricinfo, 3 October 2022 |
Leigh Meghan Kasperek (born 15 February 1992) is a Scottish cricketer who plays internationally for the New Zealand national team. She previously played for the Scottish national side, but switched to New Zealand in order to play at a higher level. [1]
Born in Edinburgh, Kasperek made her senior national debut at the age of 15, playing for Scotland against English county sides in the 2007 County Challenge Cup. [2] Her international debut came later in the year, when she appeared against Ireland and the Netherlands at the European Championship. [3] Early in 2008, Kasperek was selected in Scotland's squad for the 2008 World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. She went on to play in four out of a possible five matches, but had little success, scoring only four runs and failing to take a wicket from her ten overs, while conceding 57 runs. [4]
Over the next few years, Kasperek firmly established herself as one of Scotland's leading all-rounders. One of her first notable performances came against Hampshire in the 2009 edition of the County Championship, when she took 3/2 from six overs to help bowl the side out for 76. [5] Later in the year, against the Netherlands at the 2009 European Championship, she scored a maiden half-century for Scotland, making 58 from 106 balls (including a 135-run partnership with Kari Anderson). [6] During the 2010 County Championship season, Kasperek scored 218 runs from her ten matches, behind only Kathryn White for Scotland. [7] Her best performance was an innings of 68 against Hampshire, which was her only half-century. [8]
For the 2011–12 season, Kasperek signed for the Western Fury, a team in Australia's Women's National Cricket League (WNCL), also playing club cricket for Midland-Guildford. [9] [10] For the 2012 County Championship season, she switched from Scotland to Essex, although later in the year she did play one final international tournament, the European Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland. [2] Having been named Essex's player of the year, later in the year Kasperek signed for the Wellington Blaze, which plays in the New Zealand State League. [11]
In 2022, Kasperek signed for Northern Diamonds as an overseas player for the upcoming season. [12] She played 13 matches for the side that season, across the Charlotte Edwards Cup and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, taking 14 wickets. [13] [14]
Kasperek had little success in her first season in New Zealand, with her eight matches yielding only 86 runs and a single wicket. For the 2013–14 season, she switched to the Otago Sparks (based in Dunedin), and went on to score two half-centuries. Kasperek impressed more with her bowling, taking 18 wickets to finish as the competition's leading wicket-taker, [15] including figures of 6/8 in one match against Canterbury. [16] The next season, she returned 15 wickets to be Otago's leading wicket taker and equal-fourth in the competition, but also lifted her batting, scoring 313 runs to place behind only Suzie Bates for Otago (and tenth in the competition). [17]
After three seasons in the New Zealand domestic competition, Kasperek met the ICC qualifications for representing the national team, although that had not been a specific goal of hers when she first moved there. [1] In May 2015, she was unexpectedly named in the squad for the 2015 tour of India. [18] Kasperek went on to play in every game on the tour, which comprised five One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International matches. [19] [20] On debut in the first ODI, she took 3/39 from 10 overs. [21] Later in 2015, against the touring Sri Lankans, Kasperek took 4/27, her maiden ODI four-wicket haul. [22]
In a Twenty20 International against Australia in February 2016, Kasperek took 4/7 from three overs. Amy Satterthwaite is the only New Zealander to take better figures. [23]
In August 2018, she was awarded a central contract by New Zealand Cricket, following the tours of Ireland and England in the previous months. [24] [25] In October 2018, she was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. [26] [27] She was the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in the tournament, with eight dismissals in four matches. [28]
In January 2020, she was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. [29]
During the 2nd WODI of the Australia tour of New Zealand in 2020-21, Kasperek took all bar one of the seven wickets to fall in the Australian innings, [30] finishing with figures of 6/46 from 10 overs, [30] the 17th best innings figures in Women's ODI history. [31] She finished as the leading wicket taker in the ODI leg of the series with 9 wickets, despite playing only two of the three matches. [32]
Media related to
Leigh Kasperek at Wikimedia Commons
![]() Kasperek bowling for New Zealand during the
2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leigh Meghan Kasperek | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Edinburgh, Scotland | 15 February 1992|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Bowling all-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National sides |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 133) | 28 June 2015 New Zealand v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 23 September 2021 New Zealand v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
T20I debut (cap 46) | 11 July 2015 New Zealand v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last T20I | 11 July 2024 New Zealand v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011/12 | Western Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012–2013 | Essex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012/13 | Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013/14–2018/19 | Otago | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Yorkshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019 | Yorkshire Diamonds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019/20–present | Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020 | Velocity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | Northern Diamonds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:
ESPNcricinfo, 3 October 2022 |
Leigh Meghan Kasperek (born 15 February 1992) is a Scottish cricketer who plays internationally for the New Zealand national team. She previously played for the Scottish national side, but switched to New Zealand in order to play at a higher level. [1]
Born in Edinburgh, Kasperek made her senior national debut at the age of 15, playing for Scotland against English county sides in the 2007 County Challenge Cup. [2] Her international debut came later in the year, when she appeared against Ireland and the Netherlands at the European Championship. [3] Early in 2008, Kasperek was selected in Scotland's squad for the 2008 World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. She went on to play in four out of a possible five matches, but had little success, scoring only four runs and failing to take a wicket from her ten overs, while conceding 57 runs. [4]
Over the next few years, Kasperek firmly established herself as one of Scotland's leading all-rounders. One of her first notable performances came against Hampshire in the 2009 edition of the County Championship, when she took 3/2 from six overs to help bowl the side out for 76. [5] Later in the year, against the Netherlands at the 2009 European Championship, she scored a maiden half-century for Scotland, making 58 from 106 balls (including a 135-run partnership with Kari Anderson). [6] During the 2010 County Championship season, Kasperek scored 218 runs from her ten matches, behind only Kathryn White for Scotland. [7] Her best performance was an innings of 68 against Hampshire, which was her only half-century. [8]
For the 2011–12 season, Kasperek signed for the Western Fury, a team in Australia's Women's National Cricket League (WNCL), also playing club cricket for Midland-Guildford. [9] [10] For the 2012 County Championship season, she switched from Scotland to Essex, although later in the year she did play one final international tournament, the European Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland. [2] Having been named Essex's player of the year, later in the year Kasperek signed for the Wellington Blaze, which plays in the New Zealand State League. [11]
In 2022, Kasperek signed for Northern Diamonds as an overseas player for the upcoming season. [12] She played 13 matches for the side that season, across the Charlotte Edwards Cup and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, taking 14 wickets. [13] [14]
Kasperek had little success in her first season in New Zealand, with her eight matches yielding only 86 runs and a single wicket. For the 2013–14 season, she switched to the Otago Sparks (based in Dunedin), and went on to score two half-centuries. Kasperek impressed more with her bowling, taking 18 wickets to finish as the competition's leading wicket-taker, [15] including figures of 6/8 in one match against Canterbury. [16] The next season, she returned 15 wickets to be Otago's leading wicket taker and equal-fourth in the competition, but also lifted her batting, scoring 313 runs to place behind only Suzie Bates for Otago (and tenth in the competition). [17]
After three seasons in the New Zealand domestic competition, Kasperek met the ICC qualifications for representing the national team, although that had not been a specific goal of hers when she first moved there. [1] In May 2015, she was unexpectedly named in the squad for the 2015 tour of India. [18] Kasperek went on to play in every game on the tour, which comprised five One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International matches. [19] [20] On debut in the first ODI, she took 3/39 from 10 overs. [21] Later in 2015, against the touring Sri Lankans, Kasperek took 4/27, her maiden ODI four-wicket haul. [22]
In a Twenty20 International against Australia in February 2016, Kasperek took 4/7 from three overs. Amy Satterthwaite is the only New Zealander to take better figures. [23]
In August 2018, she was awarded a central contract by New Zealand Cricket, following the tours of Ireland and England in the previous months. [24] [25] In October 2018, she was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. [26] [27] She was the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in the tournament, with eight dismissals in four matches. [28]
In January 2020, she was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. [29]
During the 2nd WODI of the Australia tour of New Zealand in 2020-21, Kasperek took all bar one of the seven wickets to fall in the Australian innings, [30] finishing with figures of 6/46 from 10 overs, [30] the 17th best innings figures in Women's ODI history. [31] She finished as the leading wicket taker in the ODI leg of the series with 9 wickets, despite playing only two of the three matches. [32]
Media related to
Leigh Kasperek at Wikimedia Commons