Hitting cakes for a six! ‘BAKING’S MY NEW PASSION’

Former World Champ cricketer Katrina’s hot stuff in the Bake Off kitchen too

- Rebekah Hebenton

Pressure of The Great Kiwi Bake Off can be overwhelming for some contestants. But former White Fern Katrina Keenan admits time on the cricket pitch prepared her well for the highs and lows of the competition.

“There was nothing in my experience on the show that rattled me,” the 51-year-old says. “I did have some challenges in my bakes, but you just have to move on. I was more focused on enjoying the opportunity.”

Katrina first put on the White Ferns uniform when she was 24, after years of trying and heartbreakingly missing out on a spot. It was the fulfillment of a dream she’d had since she was a young girl playing cricket in the backyard with dad Norm, 74.

And though there were many highs in her five years with the team, Katrina tells it was hard work. Not just for the players, but because there was no money in women’s cricket in the ’90s, everyone around them was constantly working to find funds to get them to their next tournament.

“We were just there to make our families proud and for our supporters – we couldn’t make an income from cricket,” Katrina explains.