Vlaeminck eyes rewards after tough comeback trail

Coming back from a long-term injury is hard. Doing it for the fourth time is even harder.

Rehabilitating a long-term injury for the fourth time during Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne while your closest friends and teammates are away playing in the Big Bash hub is another level all together.

Tayla Vlaeminck says one thing kept her going while she was recovering from the serious foot injury that ended her home World Cup dream before it even began: "I just love bowling," she told The Scoop podcast.

"I just love cricket and I get a lot of my motivation out of that and knowing how much fun it is when I can do it."

Vlaeminck really loves bowling. The 22-year-old Victorian could not wipe the smile of her face while recounting a centre-wicket session during quarantine in New Zealand; teammate Nicola Carey reckoned those eight overs would have been the highlight of Vlaeminck's week.

And for the right-arm quick, the chance to be back with the Australian squad preparing for their limited-overs matches against New Zealand is what made all the pain and toil of recovering from the stress fracture to the navicular bone of her right foot worth it.

"This rehab was probably the hardest, especially because a lot of the girls from Victoria were away in the WBBL bubble, so I was in at Junction Oval training by myself," says Vlaeminck, who has also undergone two knee reconstructions and dislocated her shoulder, amid several other more minor knee problems.

"That was hard because the thing that's got me through my past rehabs was still trying to spend as much time around the group as I can … I thrive and get my energy off just having a laugh and a good time with the girls.

"Not having them around was hard but when you get back to this, it was worth it.

"I also got a bit of motivation out of watching the Big Bash… I'd watch games and then go into training with a bit of added motivation to try and get back to playing.

"But I think first and foremost (my motivation is) I love bowling and love playing cricket."

Vlaeminck's latest brush with injury could not have come at a worse time. She was in the form of her life and set to play a key role in the Australian attack for last year's T20 World Cup.

Looking back on the lead-up to that moment in Adelaide when she learned her tournament was over before it began, Vlaeminck said there had been some small warning signs something was amiss, but nothing she felt overly concerned about. 

"I felt a bit of foot pain towards the end of the tri-series during the games at Junction Oval, but it was just random, before going out into the middle or at the start of warm-ups … I'd feel like something wasn't quite right, but then it felt fine.

"I didn't think too much of it.

"But one training session at Karen Rolton Oval right before the World Cup, I had to stop bowling and I was like, this is just too painful, it's not quite right.

"I got some scans and (that injury) definitely wasn't what I expected.

"It was just that bone too, if it was anywhere else you could probably play through it but you don't mess around with the navicular bone.

"I wasn't stoked at the time, but it was cool that I stayed with the team in Sydney for the opening game and then met back up with them in Melbourne as well and still felt like I was a part of it."

Amid the stresses of that World Cup campaign, which famously saw Australia suffer a shock loss to India, a scare against Sri Lanka, Ellyse Perry's own tournament-ending injury and the Sydney rain that threatened the semi-final, Vlaeminck remained high in her teammates' thoughts.

They would facetime her when signing the song post-match and she joined them on the bench for the final at the MCG, and then joining the rest of the Australian squad on stage with Katy Perry following their triumph over India.

"It meant a lot, especially that they were thinking of me after games and that kind of thing," Vlaeminck said.

"It's a special group and I've got a lot of really close friends, a lot of the Victorian girls I grew up with, in Wolfie (Georgia Wareham) and Soph (Molineux)."

It was a long road back for Vlaeminck, who initially had held hopes of returning in time for the start of the 2021-22 summer, only to have them dashed by a minor setback in August.

She spent three months in a moon boot and had to learn how to walk normally again when it was finally removed, before gradually building up her running, and finally her bowling.

An injury to the navicular, a wedge shaped bone on the top of the foot that connects the ankle to the rest of the foot, is a tricky one to overcome.

Australia's medical staff enlisted the help of Dr Sue Mayes, who has been the Principal Physiotherapist of The Australian Ballet since 1997 and who consults with athletes from a range of other sports including cricket and Australian Rules football.

That conditioning work with Mayes includes specialised exercises and use of a pilates reformer, not only focusing on Vlaeminck's right landing foot, but also on her calves, hips and trunk strength and control.

"She came in as a second set of eyes," Vlaeminck explained. "Ballet dancers are pretty reliant on their feet and have a lot more foot and ankle issues than you see in cricket.

"She had a set of exercises to strengthen my feet and calves and that kind of thing.

"It was cool to have an extra set of eyes especially during lockdown in Melbourne when you couldn't see physios very often … she was based in Melbourne so she would come in and correct my technique on the exercises. She had some really good ideas."

Throughout it all, Australia coach Matthew Mott and chief selector Shawn Flegler remained in touch with Vlaeminck, reassuring her she remained in their plans, and that the most important thing was being able to remain on the park long-term, with a home Ashes campaign and ODI World Cup looming in the 2021-22 summer.

"It was definitely helpful, especially during that Big Bash time when you were watching other people and wanting to be out there and they were telling me to be patient and stick to the process," Vlaeminck said.

Mott went as far as saying he believed Vlaeminck would be a 10-year player in the green and gold.

"That probably didn't sit that comfortably that me especially when I feel like I'm only still new to the team in a way.

"I feel I haven't played that much cricket and I only got to my best during that tri-series.

"For them to have faith in me after not seeing me play that much, it means a lot and hopefully I can repay the favour and take some poles in this series coming up."

Vlaeminck returned to state cricket in February, when Victoria launched their Women's National Cricket League campaign and quickly found her rhythm, picking up six wickets in four matches for Victoria including one ferocious spell that saw her bag 4-16 against the ACT Meteors.

She says she still has some work to do to hit top speed and find her best form, a challenge she is embracing ahead of the three T20Is and three ODIs against the White Ferns.

"I'm super exited, I was counting down the weeks and days to get away with the girls," she said.

"I feel like I'm starting to get a bit of confidence back ... those first few games back for Victoria in the WNCL I as just relieved to get through them and I had a lot of fun.

"The more time I've been out there, I've got some rhythm back.

"I'm getting back to my best, I'm probably not quite there yet but I suppose it's exciting to have somewhere to improve.

"(The rehab) makes it all the more worthwhile when you get out there and that's something rehab has thought me, you've got to cherish the moments you're out there."