Allrounder Jess Watkin hopes for a possible national call-up against Australia

New Zealand allrounder Jess Watkin is eager to get back into the national fold after being called up for the winter camp last month. The 22-year-old last played for New Zealand in 2018 against England in an ODI and Ireland in a T20I.

“I was so surprised and pleased to get the call to go to the Winter Camp for the White Ferns. Not everyone in the team is here yet and the team to go to Australia won’t be named until next week,” Watkin was quoted as saying to nzherald.co.in. New Zealand are scheduled to tour Australia for three ODIs and the same number of T20Is starting September 27.

“I think the tour was only confirmed a few days ago and with COVID-19 restrictions it will mean two weeks in isolation once the team gets to Australia, two weeks of games including three ODIs and three T20 matches, followed by two weeks isolation when the team gets back home – six weeks for six games,” she said.

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However, Watkin has kept her associated with New Zealand, by signing the development contract which was introduced last season and again this year. She has been in stellar form for the past few seasons bagging the Central Hinds Player of the Year award last year -- an honour she also enjoyed in 2017.

With the pandemic halting cricket for the past five months, Watkin went to Geraldine to support her partner in a new job venture. Alas, that didn’t work out well due to the pandemic and Watkin has returned back home and worked tirelessly towards selection back into the national squad.

“My partner’s job didn’t quite work out down South because of the Covid-19 lockdown, so we came back to Whanganui in June,” Watkin said. “I didn’t have a job to come back to although I did manage to get some coaching for Manawatu Cricket during the school holidays.”

She was reunited with the coach of old Dilan Raj who is now employed by Manawatu Cricket. “I have been pretty much training all the time doing drills and working with Dilan in Palmerston North. My main aim was to get ready for the new season and perhaps even get back into the White Ferns,” she concluded.