Michaela Kirk
South African cricketer
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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.[1][2][3]
Johannesburg, South Africa
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michaela Louise Kirk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 30 June 1999 Johannesburg, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder; occasional wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012/13–2019/20 | Northerns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | Nottinghamshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–present | The Blaze | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Trent Rockets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 19 October 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life
Kirk was born on 30 June 1999 in Johannesburg.[2] Her grandparents are from Edinburgh, which contributed to her family's decision to move back to England in 2021.[3]
Domestic career
South Africa
Kirk made her debut for Northerns in 2012, against Easterns.[4] In her second season with the side, 2013/14, she took 6 wickets at an average of 7.00 in the Provincial T20 Competition.[5] 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).[6][7] In the 2016/17 season, Kirk made her maiden half-century, scoring 52* against Easterns.[8] The following season she achieved her List A best bowling figures, taking 4 wickets for 0 runs in 1.3 overs against Easterns.[9] 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.[10][11] She has also appeared in the Women's T20 Super League for Duchesses.[2]
England
In 2021, Kirk moved to England, moving in with her grandparents and aiming to qualify to play for the national side.[3] 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.[3]
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.[12][13] She made her debut for Lightning on 29 May, against Southern Vipers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.[14] She went on to play four matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, scoring one half-century, 57 made against Sunrisers.[15][16] She also played three matches for the side in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, and three matches for Trent Rockets in The Hundred.[17][18] 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.[19] In 2022, therefore, she only appeared in two matches for Lightning, both in September in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.[20]
In 2023, she played one match for Nottinghamshire in the Women's Twenty20 Cup, scoring 49.[21] She played seven matches for The Blaze (the new name for Lightning) that season, with a top score of 40.[22][23] 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.[24][25]