Michaela Kirk
{{short description|South African cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Michaela Kirk
| female = true
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Michaela Louise Kirk
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|6|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| nickname =
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| heightcm =
| heightm =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm off break
| role = All-rounder; occasional wicket-keeper
| family =
| international =
| country =
| internationalspan =
| club1 = Northerns
| year1 = {{nowrap|2012/13–2019/20}}
| club2 = Nottinghamshire
| year2 = 2021–2024
| club3 = The Blaze
| year3 = 2021–present
| club4 = Trent Rockets
| year4 = 2021
| columns = 2
| column1 = WLA
| matches1 = 64
| runs1 = 1,017
| bat avg1 = 18.16
| 100s/50s1 = 0/3
| top score1 = 58
| deliveries1 = 1,046
| wickets1 = 27
| bowl avg1 = 22.66
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 4/0
| catches/stumpings1 = 28/4
| column2 = WT20
| matches2 = 53
| runs2 = 712
| bat avg2 = 23.73
| 100s/50s2 = 0/2
| top score2 = 62
| deliveries2 = 318
| wickets2 = 11
| bowl avg2 = 22.36
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 2/5
| catches/stumpings2 = 22/1
| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1436/1436292/1436292.html CricketArchive
| date = 19 October
| year = 2024
}}
Michaela Louise Kirk (born 30 June 1999) is a South African cricketer who currently plays for The Blaze. She plays as a right-handed batter, right-arm off break bowler and occasional wicket-keeper. Having played for Northerns in South Africa between 2012/13 and 2019/20, in 2021 she moved to England to play cricket there, with ambitions to qualify for the national side.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/michaela-kirk-628230|title=Player Profile: Michaela Kirk|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1436/1436292/1436292.html|title=Player Profile: Michaela Kirk|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/womenscricket/meet_michaela_kirk_south_african_starlet_light_up_the_east_midlands.html|title=Meet Michaela Kirk: The South African starlet hoping to light up the East Midlands|publisher=the Cricketer|access-date=30 May 2021}}
Early life
Kirk was born on 30 June 1999 in Johannesburg. Her grandparents are from Edinburgh, which contributed to her family's decision to move back to England in 2021.
Domestic career
=South Africa=
Kirk made her debut for Northerns in 2012, against Easterns.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/473/473149.html|title=Easterns Women v Northerns Women, 13 October 2012|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} In her second season with the side, 2013/14, she took 6 wickets at an average of 7.00 in the Provincial T20 Competition.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/20/CSA_Womens_Provincial_T20_Competition_2013-14/Northerns_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Northerns Women/CSA Women's Provincial T20 Competition 2013/14 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} In 2015/16, she was her side's second-leading run-scorer and second-leading wicket-taker, with 146 runs and 9 wickets (including a best bowling of 4/29).{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/26/CSA_Womens_Provincial_League_2015-16/Northerns_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Northerns Women/CSA Women's Provincial League 2015/16 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/26/CSA_Womens_Provincial_League_2015-16/Northerns_Women_Bowling.html|title=Bowling for Northerns Women/CSA Women's Provincial League 2015/16 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} In the 2016/17 season, Kirk made her maiden half-century, scoring 52* against Easterns.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1009/1009871.html|title=Easterns Women v Northerns Women, 22 October 2016|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} The following season she achieved her List A best bowling figures, taking 4 wickets for 0 runs in 1.3 overs against Easterns.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/1063/1063375.html|title=Easterns Women v Northerns Women, 4 April 2018|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} In 2019/20 she was her side's leading run scorer in both the Provincial League and the Provincial T20, with 140 runs and 127 runs, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/33/CSA_Womens_Provincial_League_2019-20/Northerns_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Northerns Women/CSA Women's Provincial League 2019/20 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/33/CSA_Womens_Provincial_T20_Competition_2019-20/Northerns_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Northerns Women/CSA Women's Provincial T20 Competition 2019/20 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} She has also appeared in the Women's T20 Super League for Duchesses.
=England=
In 2021, Kirk moved to England, moving in with her grandparents and aiming to qualify to play for the national side. For the 2021 season, she signed to play for Nottinghamshire in the Twenty20 Cup, Lightning in the regional competitions and Trent Rockets in The Hundred.
For Nottinghamshire, she helped them win the East Midlands Group of the Twenty20 Cup and scored 122 runs at an average of 61.00, including hitting 61* on debut against Northamptonshire.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/35/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2021/Nottinghamshire_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Nottinghamshire Women/ECB Women's Twenty20 Cup 2021|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://ecbwcountychampionship.play-cricket.com/website/results/4573885|title=Nottinghamshire Women v Northamptonshire Women, 25 April 2021 @ 10:30 |publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=30 May 2021}} She made her debut for Lightning on 29 May, against Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2021-1252263/southern-vipers-vs-lightning-1252267/full-scorecard|title=Southern Vipers v Lightning, Southampton, May 29 2021, Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|access-date=30 May 2021}} She went on to play four matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, scoring one half-century, 57 made against Sunrisers.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13889;team=6770;type=tournament |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2021 - Lightning/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=28 September 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2021-1252263/lightning-vs-sunrisers-1252277/match-report |title=Michaela Kirk, Teresa Graves guide Lightning to keep Sunrisers winless |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=28 September 2021}} She also played three matches for the side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, and three matches for Trent Rockets in The Hundred.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13890;team=6770;type=tournament |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2021 - Lightning/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=28 September 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13891;team=6697;type=tournament |title=Records/The Hundred Women's Competition, 2021 - Trent Rockets (Women)/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=28 September 2021}} During The Hundred in 2021, Kirk injured her anterior cruciate ligament, meaning that she missed the rest of the season, and most of the following season.{{cite web|url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2022/december/courageous-kirk-gunning-for-belated-blaze-of-career-defining-glory.html |title=Courageous Kirk Gunning for Belated Blaze of Career Defining Glory |publisher=Trent Bridge |date=15 December 2022 |access-date=15 December 2022}} In 2022, therefore, she only appeared in two matches for Lightning, both in September in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=14446;team=6770;type=tournament |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2022 - Lightning/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=2 October 2022}}
In 2023, she played one match for Nottinghamshire in the Women's Twenty20 Cup, scoring 49.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/37/Vitality_Womens_County_T20_2023/Nottinghamshire_Women_Batting.html|title=Batting and Fielding for Nottinghamshire Women/Vitality Women's County T20 2023|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=17 October 2023}} She played seven matches for The Blaze (the new name for Lightning) that season, with a top score of 40.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2023-15157?team=6771 |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 2023 - The Blaze/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=17 October 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/charlotte-edwards-cup-2023-15158?team=6771 |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2023 - The Blaze/Batting and Bowling Averages |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=17 October 2023}} In 2024, she played nine matches for The Blaze, across the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with a high score of 36.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2024-16243?team=7045 |title=Records/Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, 2024 - The Blaze/Batting and Bowling Averages |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=19 October 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/charlotte-edwards-cup-2024-15944?team=7045 |title=Records/Charlotte Edwards Cup, 2024 - The Blaze/Batting and Bowling Averages |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=19 October 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=628230}}
- {{cricketarchive|id=1436292}}
{{The Blaze (women's cricket) squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirk, Michaela}}
Category:Cricketers from Johannesburg
Category:Northerns women cricketers
Category:Nottinghamshire women cricketers
Category:The Blaze women's cricketers
Category:Trent Rockets cricketers
Category:South African expatriate cricketers in England