See Katherine Brunt's interview, including footage of her self-proclaimed "embarrassing" celebration of her first England wicket after injury
By Rob Barnett
Katherine Brunt hopes to rediscover herself on the cricket field and is targeting England Women’s tour of New Zealand as the perfect opportunity to do so.
Back injuries have dogged the Barnsley-born fast bowler’s international career and late last summer she returned from her latest setback, an eight-month hiatus caused by a problem that cut short her involvement in the 2013/14 Ashes and required surgery during March.
That operation left her bed-ridden and needing care from her parents, but she recovered in time to play in a one-day international versus India during late August and three Twenty20s against South Africa in early September.
The South Africans were on good form last night...until next time ladies!! @MdpMinx22@danevn81@SuneLuuspic.twitter.com/yKdzaxb6Qx
— Katherine Brunt (@KBrunt26) September 8, 2014
Having come through those, she is building up towards England’s January trip to New Zealand for five ODIs and three T20s.
“I’m really happy to be back amongst it,” Brunt told ecb.co.uk.
“I did expect too much from myself when I shouldn’t have. But I’ve got a long winter now, four months to train for New Zealand, and I’m hoping to get back to the normal me and hopefully start really enjoying my cricket again.”
Brunt missed England’s last tour of New Zealand during early 2012 when she was rested after her back flared up in South Africa earlier that winter.
Having had limited success across five ODIs in New Zealand back in 2008, she is determined to make the most of expected favourable conditions for seamers this time.
“Come January in New Zealand, bowler’s heaven supposedly, hopefully I’ll be able to wrap up a few there and start taking some quick scalps again,” she added at the unveiling of a new £1million cricket facility in Leicester.
Although, aged 29, Brunt should be available to England for several years, her susceptibility to injury could compromise that.
She is therefore taking extra care of her body as she strives for regular international appearances.
Formation stretching by @KBrunt26& Eng women media manager Beth Wild!! pic.twitter.com/LFqrhWfgWR
— Charles Dagnall (@CharlesDagnall) September 3, 2014
“It’s always awful to miss out. Those girls are my family and playing cricket for England is what I love the most,” she said.
“Whenever you’re on a sideline or out of a team for a while, you feel like you missed out and you start to not feel quite as much a part of it. But it didn’t take long to get back into it and I’m just really happy to be back now.
“However long I’ve got left, I want to play consistently. I don’t want to be injured again; that’s for sure. So I’m looking after myself now.”