England all-rounder Freya Kemp has never doubted her ability to return to full fitness, despite a grueling injury battle that threatened to derail her promising career. The 21-year-old, who burst onto the international scene at just 17, has faced two back stress fractures and a subsequent stress reaction in the same area, preventing her from bowling competitively for 14 months. Yet, Kemp insists she never considered retirement or shifting to a batting-only role.

"It has been a long few years, but I am hopefully nearly out of the other side," Kemp told BBC Sport. "It is horrible. It teaches you a lot about yourself and how to overcome hard stuff, and definitely teaches you a lot of resilience."

Her last competitive bowl came in January 2025, but Kemp has been steadily building back in practice since then, working closely with England fast-bowling coach Chris Liddle. While she won't bowl in the upcoming 50-over series against New Zealand starting Sunday, she has been secretly developing new skills and even bowled in three of five intra-squad matches during England's camp in South Africa in March.

England are hopeful Kemp will be fully ready for the T20 World Cup, which begins on 12 June, with the all-rounder expected to bowl against the White Ferns and India in the preceding T20 series. "I just really enjoy having an impact on the game as much as I can," Kemp said. "I love bowling. I don't think I would ever give that up."

Remarkably, the injury layoff has allowed Kemp to sharpen her batting. She scored her first professional century last year and played a full season as a top-order batter with Perth Scorchers last winter. England coach Charlotte Edwards has already namechecked Kemp as a key bowling all-rounder for the T20 World Cup, a testament to her unwavering belief in her all-round abilities. For Kemp, the journey back has been as much about mental grit as physical recovery, and she's ready to make every moment count on the field again.