It seems like Sterre Kalis has got the century bug, which clearly bodes well for Yorkshire Women.

The Netherlands international batter signed an initial three-year contract at Headingley in October and was a key recruit for head coach Rich Pyrah ahead of 2025.

Either side of agreeing that deal to wear the white rose, Kalis scored a hundred for the Northern Diamonds in early September and also one for Australian club side Gordon in New South Wales Premier Cricket at the start of last month.

Going big with the bat is something Kalis has been aiming for since arriving to play domestic cricket in England in the summer of 2020 and a trend all Yorkshire fans will hope continues in the coming seasons. 

Her regional hundred for the Diamonds – an excellent 100 not out off 95 balls batting at number four – came in a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy win over Lancashire Thunder at Southport. 

She then posted 136 off 119 balls for Gordon in a 50-over grade win against Penrith, batting at three. 

Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com - 19/05/2023 - Cricket - The Charlotte Edwards Cup - Northern Diamonds v Western Storm - Headingley Stadium, Leeds, England - Northern Diamonds' Sterre Kalis.

Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Sterre Kalis has signed a long-term deal with Yorkshire. 

“Scoring hundreds is something I’ve been determined to do for a long time,” said Kalis. 

“The Thunder one was my first hundred in England, my first as a professional. 

“I’ve scored one with Holland in T20I cricket, which was special, I’ve scored multiple in Australia over the last few years, but my first in England was incredible. 

“I’d always hoped and dreamed of making a century for the Diamonds, so to do it before that chapter closed was really cool. I’d been training hard and working on a few things, so to be able to get out there and score a ton in a win, it’s why you play the game.”

That Southport century came approximately a fortnight after the Hundred had finished, with Kalis impressing in the colours of Birmingham Phoenix.

She scored 201 runs in eight matches and was a close second on their leading run-scorer’s list behind opening partner Ellyse Perry, who scored 203.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Sterre Kalis of Birmingham Phoenix makes her way out to bat during The Hundred match between London Spirit Women and Birmingham Phoenix Women at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 27, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

Picture by Ben Hoskins. ECB via Getty Images. Sterre Kalis (l) walks out to open the batting for Birmingham Phoenix at Lord’s this summer. 

“I’d had a really good Hundred this summer,” she said. “I got the opportunity to open the batting in a big competition like that for the first time, and it gave me a lot of confidence.”

Kalis alongside Ami Campbell, Beth Langston, Rachel Slater and Lauren Winfield-Hill provide Yorkshire’s squad with a good base of experience. The former, for example, has played 43 internationals for the Netherlands since debuting at the age of 14.

And she is incredibly excited about what lies ahead. 

“The girls who have signed, it’s a really exciting group,” she said. “We have a lot of experience and some really good young players and Academy players coming through.

“We’re treating everything this next year as if we’re a Tier 1 team, the standards we set, the training, all that kind of thing. It’s a good opportunity for us to start something really special for the long term.

“It’s important we play as much cricket as possible next year, matches on top of the scheduled Tier 2 stuff, and be together as a group as much as we can.

Sterre Kalis

Picture courtesy of Gordon CC. Sterre Kalis in the field for Sydney club side Gordon this winter.

“We’re not going to be able to build this in just a year, it’s the plan for the next two or three. If we do all the right things – train hard, stick together – before we know it, we will be very competitive in Tier 1.”

Returning to the century theme, around this time last year, the 25-year-old also scored one in a T20 practice game whilst training with the Tasmanian state squad.

“I’ve been working really hard on my batting for a long time now, and things are definitely progressing nicely,” said Kalis.

“The one I scored out here last month was actually in the first 50-over game I played for Gordon. To be able score big runs for any team is a nice thing, and hopefully that continues.

“I’ve had a couple of good scores whilst I’ve been here, including the century, so I’m really happy with how things are going.

“The majority of our games have been T20s, but we’ve also played three 50-over games so far. We have one more T20 this weekend, and then the rest of it is 50-over stuff.

Sterre Kalis

Picture courtesy of Gordon CC. Sterre Kalis bats for Sydney club side Gordon this winter. She has been in excellent form in 50-over and T20 cricket.

“I’ve also been training with the New South Wales state squad and playing some intra-squad practice games with them. The standard of cricket has been really good. Away from cricket, I’m really enjoying it. The lifestyle, the weather, it’s pretty good.

“It’s a big thing to come out here and play games whilst other players are practicing indoors in the winter back at home. The pressure of game scenarios is difficult to replace in the winter. ”

During her time with Gordon, Kalis is playing the role of a senior head at that club, which provides her with a similar dynamic to the one she will find at Yorkshire in 2025. And that is something she is relishing.

She continued: “I’ve come into a club with a lot of younger players who I can try and be that role-model for at training. When I come back to Yorkshire next year, I want to bring back what I’ve learnt and can be a positive influence on and off the field.”

As aforementioned, Kalis plays one more T20 fixture this weekend before a three-week break for Christmas.

And she added: “Christmas is going to be a bit weird, celebrating it in the sunshine!

Rich Pyrah and Chris Brice.

Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Yorkshire head coach and assistant Rich Pyrah and Chris Brice will aim to further develop Sterre Kalis as a top order batter. 

“It will be my first Christmas away from home. But it will be good. I have some friends visiting. Rebecca Duckworth from Yorkshire is one of them who’s coming out for New Year before she heads to Queensland in early January to play some club cricket for Gold Coast Dolphins.”

Meanwhile, in late January, Kalis will leave Australia briefly to play for Netherlands in a T20 series against Nepal and Thailand in Nepal. She then returns Down Under in mid-February to complete the club season before joining up with Yorkshire in late March.

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