International career
Jessica Mackenzie Kerr was born on 18 January 1998 in Wellington, New Zealand. She is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and right-handed batter who represents the New Zealand women’s national team, the White Ferns.
- 2020: After leading the wicket charts in the Super Smash 2019/20, Kerr earned her first national call-up. She made her WODI debut on January 27 against South Africa in Auckland and her WT20I debut on February 9 in Wellington, both during the same home series. She was selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia and received her first New Zealand Cricket central contract for the 2020/21 season.
- 2021: Became a regular member of the White Ferns setup, featuring in both ODI and T20I formats. She was often used with the new ball and developed a reputation for accuracy and swing during the powerplay overs.
- 2022: Represented New Zealand in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup held at home. Although named for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, she missed the event due to a foot injury but returned for the West Indies tour later that year. In December 2022, she recorded her best ODI bowling figures of 4 for 23 against Bangladesh in Wellington.
- 2023: Selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. Her new-ball spells were praised for generating early movement. She featured in New Zealand’s tour of South Africa (September) and in the ODI home series against Pakistan (December).
- 2024: Played against England in March and April, finishing as New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the ODI leg of the series. Named in the squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, she continued her strong run during the India tour in October, again emerging as New Zealand’s top wicket-taker of the ODI series.
- 2025: Opened the year with an ODI series against Sri Lanka, where she scored her highest international batting total of 38 runs on March 7 in Napier. She represented New Zealand at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, appearing in key group-stage matches. On October 1, she dismissed Annabel Sutherland in the match against Australia in Indore, and against Bangladesh in Guwahati, she took another wicket in New Zealand’s first tournament victory. Her final recorded ODI to date was on October 14, 2025, against Sri Lanka in Colombo, which ended without a result due to rain. Her last T20I appearance came on March 26, 2025, against Australia in Wellington.
As of October 18, 2025, Jess Kerr’s international career includes 43 WODIs with 59 wickets at an average of 23.74 and 41 WT20Is with 23 wickets at 37.13. Her best ODI figures are 4 for 23, and her highest score with the bat is 38, achieved against Sri Lanka in 2025.
Leagues Participation
Jess Kerr has represented New Zealand internationally since 2020 but has also gained valuable experience in Australia’s top domestic T20 competition. Her time in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) gave her the chance to compete alongside and against some of the world’s best players. She played in two WBBL seasons between 2022 and 2024, delivering consistent bowling spells in the powerplay overs.
Women’s Big Bash League
Jess Kerr joined the Brisbane Heat for the WBBL|08 season (2022–23) after a strong international run with the White Ferns. Her debut came in October 2022, and she played a key role with the new ball, focusing on control and swing during the early overs. Before WBBL|09 (2023–24), she moved to the Sydney Sixers, officially signing in August 2023. Across her two WBBL seasons, she built a steady record and strengthened her reputation as a composed powerplay bowler.
| Year | Team | Notes |
| 2022–23 | Brisbane Heat | Debut season; consistent new-ball spells with economy under seven runs per over. |
| 2023–24 | Sydney Sixers | Joined in August 2023; 10 wickets across both seasons, best 2/17. |
| 2024–25 | — | Did not feature; contract not renewed after 2023–24 season. |
Across both campaigns, she appeared in 14 matches, bowled 48 overs, took 10 wickets at an average of 31.3, and kept an economy rate of 6.52. Her best performance came with figures of 2 for 17, and she contributed 11 runs with a strike rate above 120.
Domestic career
Jess Kerr has represented Wellington Blaze since the 2016/17 season and has developed from a young swing bowler into one of the leading all-rounders in New Zealand’s domestic cricket. She competes in both of the country’s top formats, the Super Smash (T20) and the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (one-day), and is regarded as a key player within the Wellington setup.
Her progress became most visible during the 2024/25 season when she combined strong bowling with consistent batting form. In the Super Smash, she scored 326 runs at an average of 36.22, including three half-centuries, while maintaining a strike rate close to 120. With the ball, she collected 14 wickets at an average of 16, with best figures of 3 for 24 and 3 for 25. Match reports from New Zealand Cricket and domestic media described her as one of the standout all-rounders of the season.
In the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, Kerr reached another significant milestone on 23 February 2025 when she scored her first domestic century, hitting 100 from 111 balls with three sixes. She also produced a strong bowling performance of 4 for 17 against Central Hinds, showing her ability to change the course of a game with both bat and ball. These results confirmed her evolution from a new-ball specialist into a full all-round contributor.
Her experience in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League came with Brisbane Heat in the 2022/23 season and Sydney Sixers in 2023/24. Across 14 matches in those two seasons, she took 10 wickets at an average of 31.3 and maintained an economy rate of 6.5 runs per over, with best figures of 2 for 17. She also scored 11 runs, with 11 as her highest score. The competition provided valuable match exposure and helped strengthen her consistency under pressure.
Kerr was listed in the London Spirit squad for The Hundred in 2022 but did not play any matches. Official tournament records confirm she missed the event after withdrawing through injury before the Commonwealth Games that same year.
Records and achievements
Jess Kerr’s career includes key milestones for both New Zealand and the Wellington Blaze. She has built a strong record as a swing bowler and an improving middle-order batter, earning recognition for her consistency and versatility in all formats.
- WT20I debut: 9 February 2020 against South Africa in Wellington.
- Best WODI bowling figures: 4 for 23 against Bangladesh in Wellington on 11 December 2022.
- Best WT20I bowling figures: 2 for 13 against India in Hamilton in February 2023.
- Scored her maiden List A century: 104 not out for Wellington Blaze against Northern Districts on 23 February 2025 in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, confirmed by NZC as her first List A hundred.
- Ended the 2024/25 Super Smash season as Wellington Blaze’s second-highest run-scorer with 326 runs at 36.22, including three half-centuries.
- Collected 14 wickets in the same Super Smash season at an average of 16, with best figures of 3 for 24.
- Member of New Zealand’s squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 held at home.
- Represented New Zealand at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2023 (South Africa) and 2024 (Bangladesh and India).
- Named in New Zealand’s main squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India.
- Played 14 matches in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat (2022/23) and Sydney Sixers (2023/24), taking 10 wickets with best figures of 2 for 17.
- Received a central contract from New Zealand Cricket in June 2020 at age 22, one of the youngest players to do so that season.
- Maintained an ODI economy rate of about 4.2, ranking among the most economical swing bowlers for New Zealand Women.
- Highlighted by New Zealand Cricket and Cricbuzz among the standout domestic performers of the 2024/25 season.
Personal life
Jess Kerr is part of one of New Zealand’s most respected sporting families and is known for her grounded personality, quiet leadership, and focus on cricket and education. Her public profile remains low, and only verified, sport-related details about her personal background are available.
Finance
Jess Kerr earns her income through her New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract, domestic tournaments such as the Super Smash and Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, and franchise cricket in the Women’s Big Bash League. She also gains occasional earnings through sponsorships and promotional work. Her NZC central contract was first announced in June 2020, placing her within the group of full-time professional players.
Family
Jess Kerr was born into a multi-generational cricket family from Wellington. Her mother, Jo, and father, Robbie, both played domestic cricket for Wellington. Her younger sister Amelia Kerr is a current New Zealand international, while her grandfather Bruce Murray played Test cricket for New Zealand. Another family member, Priscilla Duncan, represented the country in international football for the Football Ferns. The Kerr family is often cited as one of the few New Zealand households with three generations of global athletes.
Scandals
No controversies or disciplinary issues have been reported involving Jess Kerr.
Fans
Jess Kerr’s Instagram account has around 24,000 followers as of October 2025, and her X (Twitter) profile lists roughly 1,000 followers. Her posts focus on cricket, family, and team life, featuring updates from Wellington Blaze and the White Ferns.
