Kerr chases the sun in search of perfect preparation

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Having played cricket in three different states and territories, none of which he calls home, Hayden Kerr's 2021 'off-season' may prove the catalyst for a breakout KFC BBL campaign.

From Darwin, to the Gold Coast, and then a trip to Adelaide, the New South Wales-based allrounder has been chasing cricket through 2021's winter months and avoided Sydney's lockdown in the process.

Kerr spent the majority of his time in the top end, playing for the Desert Blaze in the Strike League, a common journey for Australia's emerging white-ball players, and an experience he says was invaluable for his development.

"I took the initiative to go to Darwin and play some cricket," said the 25-year-old, who is hoping to add to his five BBL games with the Sydney Sixers this summer, having been included in the team's 14-player squad for tonight's season-opening match against the Melbourne Stars.

"Then COVID happened in Sydney so I wasn't able to come back, so I went to the Gold Coast, and played for six weeks up there with the Gold Coast Dolphins and that got me selected in the Blues squad to go to Adelaide, which was also cancelled.

"I ended up in three different states besides New South Wales, so we were just kind of going around the east coast and just eventually making our way back, just trying to find as much cricket as we could."

Image Id: DE0D36612B54409394012A8DC08E982C Image Caption: Hayden Kerr hit an unbeaten 62 on his return to the NSW Blues // Getty

Despite spending months away from home, Kerr said the consistent game-time has helped him find career-best form.

Blues coach Phil Jaques took notice in selecting him to make his first-class debut against Victoria in the Marsh Sheffield Shield last month, a moment he described as "genuinely a dream come true".

"To get that Shield cap, it's been a long time in the making for someone like me debuting a little bit older than some others have so that was really special," he said. 

An impressive unbeaten 62 along with a three-wicket haul against Victoria saw him recalled to the Marsh One-Day Cup side the day after his first Shield match ended, where he smashed a better than a run-a-ball 43 and snared 2-16, earning player-of-the-match honours and well and truly signifying his emergence as one of the country's more promising emerging allrounders. 

"It was unreal… to get back into that Marsh Cup side, I know it was exactly two years to the day between my last professional game which was my debut for New South Wales to that Shield game," he said.

"I always had that belief internally that I would get there, but I think just being able to practice it every week and the sheer amount of cricket that I did get to play has allowed me to experiment with a few things and get myself to where I am now so I'm really happy with it.

"I think if I keep using that growth mindset to make sure I'm better than I was the day previously then I'm always going to be headed in the right direction."

It comes on the back of a frustrating 2020-21 season, where a combination of injuries and star-studded NSW and Sydney Sixers teams saw Kerr spend most of his summer running the drinks or watching from the stands.

"I was injured for a lot of the last Big Bash (last season) and coming into the back end of the season I got back into playing, then broke my hand and things were going a bit belly-up for me," he said. 

"I've been working hard for it and I'm just glad to be there now." 

It's what's got Kerr confident he can break his way into a Sixers line-up aiming to claim an unprecedent third straight KFC BBL title. 

Despite boasting a plethora of world-class allrounders, Kerr sees this as another way to develop his game and continually push for a place in the starting 11.

"I think (Tom Curran) and Dan Christian are a pretty similar type of player, and I got to play those five games with 'TC' (Curran) two years ago, so I got see how he went about it," he said.

"Then last year, it was more watching 'DC' (Christian) do his work and how he goes about it as well. It'd be pretty special to be able to be in a group with both of them there together, each obviously have their different individual skills that shine.

"I'll just be picking their brains as much as I can, and just taking it in via osmosis, I suppose. Just watching them and try to replicate how they go about it."

The Sixers are among the early-season favourites once again as they search for a fourth title, with Kerr saying morale was high within the playing group, especially now the squad was together.

"It's such an exciting time of the year, all the guys are back together from interstate and the Sydney guys as well and we're just really looking forward to what's coming over the next few months," he said.

"We've got such a strong side so hopefully I can fit in where I can.

"Wherever that may be in the order, it could be anywhere from one to eight and same with the ball, new ball to old ball, so I'm just hoping to get the team in a position where we can win the title again this year.

"I'm just preparing for whatever situation I'm going to be thrown into and that's just the way I am as a cricketer as well, I like to be quite versatile and hopefully that can get me selected." 

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