Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rich Pyrah has been speaking about Sterre Kalis’s progression.
Rich Pyrah has hailed the progression of top-order batter Sterre Kalis as the Netherlands star enjoys an impressive season for Yorkshire.
Kalis, aged 26, has totalled 590 runs from 17 matches for the White Rose this summer with five fifties, including a brilliant best of 84 not out.
That came in last Friday’s Vitality Blast win over Somerset at Headingley, off 50 balls with 15 fours.
She shared a brilliant fourth-wicket stand of 167 unbroken equalling the world record for that wicket’s partnership in T20 cricket worldwide.
Kalis has also just represented her country in the T20 World Cup.
Head coach Pyrah said: “Sterre’s really maturing as a cricketer.
“We all know how talented she is. Some of the shots she plays, it’s great to watch.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Sterre Kalis with captain Lauren Winfield-Hill.
“She’s just learning how to build at innings now and how to time her innings.
“She gets herself in, and when she’s in and towards that back end of the innings, there’s probably no one better in the country than her right now. She can play all around the ground, whether it’s again spin or seam.”
Kalis has been in the Yorkshire system since 2020, when she was an original member of the Northern Diamonds’ regional team. She has since played in some overseas franchise competitions and has been a regular in The Hundred.
This summer, she will play for London Spirit having previously represented Birmingham Phoenix.
Pyrah has been talking ahead of Yorkshire’s final Vitality Blast fixture of the summer. They host The Blaze at Headingley tomorrow, starting at 11.30am.
While the White Rose are out of contention for Finals Day, they are bidding to win their fourth game in 12. They have won their last three, including against Lancashire Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.
The Blaze, meanwhile, have qualified for Finals Day at The Kia Oval on Friday.
Picture by Jan Kruger/Getty Images. Holly Garton claimed three wickets against Lancashire yesterday.
On Kalis, Pyrah continued: “It’s been really pleasing to see her development.
“We missed her for chunks of last year when she was on loan with Warwickshire and for a chunk for this year when she was at the World Cup. It’s just nice to have her for a period of time now.”
And Pyrah added: “Sterre’s a great character within our team.
She’s loud, she brings it all together, she has a lot of fun.
“They’re long seasons these, and some of the girls have never been in a full cricket season before. So to have somebody like Sterre around the group is brilliant.”
Blaze have won seven of their 11 games to date and sit fourth in the table. They have an unassailable seven-point lead over fifth-placed Somerset.
Captained by Scotland international all-rounder Kirstie Gordon, they are coached by ex-New Zealand men’s batter Craig Cumming.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. The Blaze coach Craig Cumming is in his second year in charge at Trent Bridge and is preparing for Finals Day on Friday.
They have Australian all-rounder Charli Knott as their overseas player but will be missing retiring England opener Tammy Beaumont due to Test duty.
Yorkshire were beaten by The Blaze at Trent Bridge at the start of the competition in late May.
This is part of a daily Blast double-header day with Yorkshire’s men. They face Nottinghamshire Outlaws from 3.30pm. That’s a clash between the top two sides in the group.
