Vlaeminck took 3-24 in her second T20 back for Australia A against India A in New Chandigarh on Thursday, after dislocating her shoulder in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
At her best Vlaeminck is still the quickest woman in Australia, but a horror run of injuries have limited her to just 29 international appearances since her 2018 debut.
The Victorian suffered two ruptured ACLs before her Australian debut, before persistent stress injuries in her foot emerged in 2020.
After finally recovering she dislocated her shoulder while fielding in her maiden World Cup game in 2024 before being told it could take 18 months to return to her best.
Having taken lessons from ballet in her foot rehabilitation, Vlaeminck sought assistance from a gymnastics coach for her shoulder.
But the 27-year-old counts the injury as the most frustrating of her career.
"It got to the point where I was running as hard as I could and I just genuinely couldn't do it," Vlaeminck told AAP.
"When it's a bone in your foot, you're held back from a loading point of view. But you always feel like you can do it.
"That feeling with the shoulder was actually quite scary, knowing I was given license to go as hard as I could and I genuinely couldn't get it down there quicker than 100km/h."
Vlaeminck said the fear hit her hardest during a bid to return for last year's WBBL, when her speed was so low she was ramped by a Victorian rookie in the nets.
"I sent a voice note (to the physios) saying one of the young 18-year-old ramped me in the nets," she recalled.
"I think I'm done."
That prompted another two-month bowling break before giving herself a potentially fourth-and-final shot.
"I still remember standing down the end of the net, going this is the first bowl after two months of trying something different" Vlaeminck said.
"It was if this doesn't work I'm not really sure what else I'm going to do.
"It took me about 10 minutes to bowl because it was almost like I didn't want to know.
"But then I was pain free and I think that was one of the best feelings ever."
That relief has only been matched in the past week after also playing in an Australian green-against-gold match in March.
Vlaeminck is hopeful time not bowling can benefit given the load through her foot was also able to be managed.
She will feature in the one-day series against India A, but be on restricted duties this summer given a full schedule would triple any previous season's workload.
But the quick takes confidence from the fact whenever she has had consistent cricket results have followed.
"Hopefully if you're not bowling for five years in your early 20s, it means I can bowl for five in my early to late 30s," Vlaeminck said.
"That's the plan."
18°C