Kemp Conquers injury hell to reach ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2024

A bowler's biggest nightmare is a stress fracture, and Freya Kemp suffered two before she was 19.

This month's ICC Women's T20 World Cup will be the England all-rounder's major event debut, but only after two years of arduous recovery from a catastrophic injury.

Being selected for any squad, but particularly one for a World Cup, is an enormous honor, Kemp stated.

Given that I missed the first one, it's much more special. Although the past two years have been difficult, the slightly more difficult path to this point has made it even more rewarding.

Kemp had an older brother and a younger brother, and she played club cricket for Fletching in East Sussex.

She recalls, "I can tell you that they didn't hold back when we used to play all sports in the garden." "Playing with my brother and all of his friends at the club was the same; it toughened me up."

A prodigy, Kemp joined the England Women's Academy program at the age of 14 and made her senior debut for Sussex in 2019 while still competing for the U17 and U15 teams.

She received guidance from two legendary figures: Sarah Taylor, who served as Kemp's coach at Bedes School, and Charlotte Edwards, who mentored her at Southern Vipers.

Kemp remarked, "I grew up watching Lottie; she was one of my idols." She has been a huge source of encouragement for me all through my work. She took me in at an early age, and over the past few years, she has been a great aid and mentor to me.

Kemp made history in 2022 by dominating the white ball, especially while he was using the bat. As a result, he received his first-ever T20I call-up and a spot at the Commonwealth Games.

Like her teammate Alice Capsey and others before her, a smooth ascent to the top was certain to come. However, tragedy came in December 2022 in the form of her first, dreaded stress fracture, only a few weeks after she was given her first ECB central contract. This prevented her from competing in the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Kemp remarked, "It was difficult and I wasn't really sure what it meant." Even though I didn't know, I knew it would take the balance of the six to nine months to recover.

"I had to deal with the fact that I was devastated to miss the World Cup."

As a specialist batter in the 2023 season, Kemp persevered and battled her way back to bowl her first international ball in almost a year during the December tour of India.

Cruelly, she had a scan when she got back to England and found that she had another stress fracture.

Kemp remarked, "There's no beating around the bush—it's very hard." "Trusting your body can be quite challenging, and my goal is to interrupt that pattern." I have to have faith in it and in those around me.

Kemp's workload is being regularly monitored and her run-up has been modified. This has resulted in a weekly cap on the number of deliveries Kemp bowls, a delicate dance skillfully performed by England's sports science and medicine staff.

She remarked, "I'm just grateful for everyone in my life—my friends, family, teammates, and support staff." "They are in this process with me, and I couldn't do it without them."

Kemp possesses all the necessary skills to play a significant role in England's attempt to win the ICC Women's T20 World Cup for the first time since it was first held in 2009.

She shares a flat in the UK with seasoned seamer Lauren Bell, although she is still relatively new to touring, having just been to the West Indies and India.

Jon Lewis and crew have prepared for spin-friendly conditions by adding left-armer Linsey Smith to the fearsome quartet of Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, and Charlie Dean. As a result, flatmates Kemp and Bell are the only two frontline seamers included in the squad.

Kemp is prepared for whatever that comes her way because of her experiences over the past two years.

"Sharjah and Dubai can obviously be very different venues," the speaker stated. While there are some variances, they are generally comparable, so the key is to immediately adjust, assess, and work as a team to communicate effectively.

"We want to add our own unique touch and play to our strengths. All I want to do is attempt to make myself available to  make an impact in the team when they need me.