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Kate Anderson started off her cricketing career with Northern Districts, making her debut for the side in the 2014/15 season. She only played seven matches during her first season across the List A and T20 formats combined and she batted in the middle to lower order.
Following her first season she started to play more regularly and made her first List A 50 in the 2016/17 season. Her form carried on steadily from here, making her maiden century with a score of 160* against Canterbury in 2019. She also made her first T20 50 in the same season.
Anderson completed a move to Canterbury following the 2021/22 season after having made 306 runs in the HBJ Shield @51.00 and 170 runs in the Super Smash @21.25.
Commenting on her move from Northern Districts to Canterbury she stated that:
“It was massive for my cricket. I guess Canterbury is like a centralised program, you're training with 15 other girls at each training, and you're getting awesome facilities. The facilities that Canterbury have available to them are just awesome, the new indoor centre and as well as I guess access to grass quite regularly and just like amazing coaches as well. So I think yeah that was probably the main thing I found.”
With Northern Districts being such a widespread region with players from Northland, Auckland, Hamilton and Bay of Plenty in the squad there is a lot less time for the whole team to train together as the region is so far separated. On this point she said”
“You just see each other more often I think unfortunately for ND they've been a bit spread out sometimes it can be getting to know players at the games whereas in Canterbury you know you kind of see them four or five times a week all the girls so you're really gonna build some quite close connections and I mean I've only been there for a year and some of them already some of my closest friends which is pretty cool so yeah I think that was massive for me.”
Anderson had an amazing 2022/23 domestic summer as she was the top run scorer in the Super Smash 536 runs scored at @59.55. Anderson was also the fourth top run scorer in the HBJ Shield with 343 runs @42.87.
She also rolled the arm over a few times last summer with her off-spin bowling picking up 6 wickets in the HBJ Shield in the 30 overs she bowled. She also bowled 11 overs in the Super Smash and took two wickets. Anderson stated that she loves bowling and loves getting an opportunity she can.
“Look, I always love bowling. Love getting any opportunity I can. I guess, unfortunately, for me, Canterbury has some pretty amazing spinners. So look, any chance I get, I love bowling, love getting in the fight. So now fingers crossed, and we'll see what happens.”
Her performances in the summer earned her a call-up to the White Ferns squad for the tour to South Africa, making her debut alongside Bella Armstrong in the second T20I.
Multiple players that were in the Canterbury side last summer had played in the White Ferns in previous years with Frankie Mackay, Lea Tahuhu and Amy Satterthwaite. The three players have played a total of 484 games combined for Aotearoa.
“I guess it's pretty awesome with Canterbury they've got some pretty experienced players and White Ferns down there so I think I learned a lot from Amy last year she was amazing to work with and I guess getting to bat alongside her was one of the career highlights. And Frankie obviously has got a wealth of knowledge and even just recently working with Lea ahead of this tour you know they're all more than happy to pass on knowledge, so I guess those three in particular. There's a number of even experienced players in the group and I think everyone just kind of works together and they're all happy to share knowledge to help each other get better.”
Ahead of the 2023/24 season, Anderson was rewarded with a central contract for the 2023/24 season. A relatively new pay increase means that Anderson is able to focus more on her cricket rather than having to juggle a job and playing cricket.
“I think it's really exciting. I mean now you can actually have dreams of being a professional cricketer and being a full-time cricketer rather than having to split your time between work and cricket. I think it's important to have other stuff, I think it's cool that I can still say you know I'm going to count it and still do a little bit of that but I think it's pretty awesome that people coming through in the next generation are actually going to be able to aspire to be cricketers and to be full-time cricketers and in New Zealand as well not having to go abroad or whatever to try to fulfil those dreams, but I think that's pretty awesome.”
Following her stellar performances in the domestic summer, Anderson was selected for the South Island (Te Waipounamu) in the North vs South series. Anderson also captained the side in the series. Anderson mentioned how it helped to bridge the gap between international and domestic cricket.
“I think everyone was pretty excited about it. I think it's good to have things in place that kind of bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket. I mean it might not have been as successful for the South team as we wanted but I think things like that are really important so that when you do get the call up to international there's not such a big step so hope you guys are having a great day. Hopefully, they continue it or they continue it in some kind of way and I guess a really proud moment to captain the team, having not captained for Canterbury for the last wee while anyway. So I mean that was pretty cool but yeah it was a lot of fun and hopefully it continues.”
Anderson also touched on the difference between Bay Oval and Seddon Park and also talked about how the Canterbury crowd really get behind their home, whether they are winning or losing.
“I love Hagley. I loved it last year. Always loved playing there. I think Canterbury has an amazing sporting history. And I think the crowds that they get at Canterbury and at Hagley Oval are just crazy. It's ridiculous, the amount of people that they get in to come and watch the women's games is pretty special. So I think that story was the main highlight there. And the Canterbury crowds really get behind their teams. They can be ruthless at times. But it's quite nice having them backing me now rather than going against me. But you know, I love playing at Hagley, so that's awesome.”
After having featured in NZ XI sides and the South Island team, Anderson looked like she was getting close to international selection and was rewarded with this for the tour to South Africa. Like most players, Anderson was proud to get selected after all the Mahi she has put in and with it paying off.
“Really proud, really proud. I guess, worked hard for a number of years. So just feel really proud that I'm kind of in this position. And I mean, hopefully get an opportunity to make my debut and kind of make the most of that. But no, I'm really proud just to be in the group and just to kind of be having this experience and hopefully can kind of, I guess, continue their success that I had last season and kind of translate that at the next level. It would be pretty awesome. So yeah, no, proud is probably the main reason. And excited as well. So proud and excited are probably the two overwhelming emotions.”
Thanks to Phoebe Stanford (NZC Communications Executive) and Eddy Bramley (Communications Manager - National Teams) for their efforts in arranging and recording the interview and also to Kate Anderson for answering the questions.
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