Kelly anxious to end injury nightmare

MALAYSHA Kelly has been one of the country’s best defensive netballers since joining the senior national team in 2008. Since then, she has represented the country at the 2011 Netball World Cup and was a member of the Commonwealth Games bronze medal winning team in 2014.

After stints at the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Suncorp Super Netball in Australia, and the Manchester Thunder in England’s Vitality Netball Superleague, the 29-year-old Kelly was drafted by the Southern Steel for the ANZ Premierships in New Zealand in 2018, where she was expected to make a big impact for her team. However, while in training in early March, last year, her dream became a nightmare as the former University of West Indies ace player suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, putting an end to her season as she was out of the ANZ Premiership and the Commonwealth Games for Jamaica. “I did construction surgery and at the moment, I am doing rehabilitation work,” Kelly told STAR Sports. “I am not at the stage yet to be on court, but I am just taking it easy to see how it comes in for the remainder of the year.”, said Kelly, who stated that she has done two surgeries so far.

After doing two surgeries and being out of netball for what, to her seems to be a very long time, Kelly is coming to terms with her disappointment. “I think I am now at the stage where I am okay to watch all of my teammates playing, and to support them until I am back in the squad”, she said.

Kelly has, however, worked out a timeline for her return. “At this moment, I am just concentrating on doing strength work, so I am nowhere near court work and movement yet, but I do have five more months, “ she said.