NEW ZEALAND all-rounder Leigh Kasperek is confident the Yorkshire Diamonds have what it takes to make their first Kia Super League Finals Day having signed as a late overseas replacement for injured Chloe Tryon.

Kasperek, 27, will link up with her team-mates at their St Peter’s School training base in York today having played county cricket for Yorkshire for the past two seasons.

South African all-rounder Tryon requires knee surgery, meaning Edinburgh-born Kasperek, an off-spinner who is intent on developing her batting, will supplement overseas duo Alyssa Healy (Australia) and Jemimah Rodrigues (India).

In her hybrid Scottish-Kiwi accent, affable Kasperek said: “It’s really exciting and was a bit of a surprise when I found out. But a nice surprise.

“I’m lucky that I’ve been playing for Yorkshire’s county side for the last two years, so I know a lot of the girls.

“I’ve been part of the New Zealand set-up for four years, and we’ve had some good times and some bad. But I’ve definitely learnt a lot playing for them.

“I’ve also been really lucky to have played all around the world for different teams, and it’s great to have that opportunity because you learn so much playing alongside different players and under coaches in different environments.

“Even though Jemimah is only 18, she’s still played a lot of cricket.

“To have Alyssa with us, given the form she’s been in over the last year, I’m much happier she’ll be keeping to my bowling rather than hitting me for six.

“I’m really excited about working with Danni (Hazell) as coach.

“I played with her for Yorkshire last year, and trying to tap into what she’s learnt over her long career will be great.”

The KSL kicks off a week tomorrow (August 6) when the Diamonds host champions Surrey Stars at Emerald Headingley in a televised 7pm start.

The White Rose have failed to get beyond the group stage for the first three years.

But Kasperek said: “We’re definitely a really talented bunch of girls, and I see no reason why we can’t win it.

“We have players who can take games away from people. We have stars like Healy and (Katherine) Brunt and then players like Beth Langston, who is bowling quick at the moment, and Alice Davidson-Richards. She’s a class all-rounder.

“It’s a strong competition with a lot of teams who’ve recruited well.

“It’s exciting when you go into tournaments like this with no clear favourite.”

Kasperek has no family ties to New Zealand, but left for ‘The Land of the Long White Cloud’ in 2012 and has since made 64 limited overs international appearances for her adopted nation since debuting in 2015.

She explained: “I went over to Western Australia in 2011 just to experience cricket in another country, and I met someone over there who was coaching in Perth.

“He went back to Wellington, but he said to me, ‘Come over and try New Zealand out’. It all started by chance, and I loved it out there and stayed.

“I live over there now. My family are still in Edinburgh.

“I’ve spent a bit of time over here with the World Cup in 2017 and then last year’s tour, and my dad always says the shopping bill goes up when I come back.

“I’m trying to introduce him to flavours. He’s a typical Scot who eats plenty of mince and potatoes. Every time I come back, I’m trying to get him into new flavours. But he’s just like, ‘What’s an avocado?’”