Dundee-based players in line for Gold Coast debuts

Team Scotland’s St Valentine’s Day announcement was sweet music to the ears of several locally-based players whose aspirations of selection for the Commonwealth Games have come to fruition, writes our women’s hockey correspondent.

Grove Menieshill’s Sarah Jamieson and Katie Robertson will make their Games debuts on the Gold Coast along with Charlotte Watson from Dundee Wanderers.

All three are in the GB elite development programme. Those with ‘previous’ include Becky Ward and Nic Skrastin.

Ex-Wanderer Ward moved west this season to take up a teaching post in Glasgow, while Skrastin came in the opposite direction last year having formerly plied her trade with Clydesdale Western.

Former Strathallan/Grove Menzieshill shot-stopper Nicki Cochrane doubled up on celebrations, having received the news while also gaining her first GB cap in Argentina.

Travelling reserves Karin Belch and Becky Merchant inflate the local connection, with the former turning out for Grove, while the latter was a stalwart in defence prior to studying in Edinburgh.

After clocking up four wins from five against Wales at their recent Gran Canaria training camp, the Tartan Hearts will wrap up their preparations with a double-header against Ireland in Glasgow.

Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ghana await them in Pool A with England, India, South Africa, Malaysia, and Wales drawn together in Pool B.

Head coach Gordon Shepherd said: “The level of competition within the squad at the selection camp was excellent, and this left us with some difficult decisions to make, but we are extremely pleased and excited with the squad we have selected.

“The squad has a balance of experience and youth and there has been a big turnaround in personnel since Glasgow 2014 – six players who represented Scotland then are selected for Gold Coast.

Scotland squad (* competed at 2014 CG Glasgow): *Amy Gibson (GK), Nicola Cochrane (GK), Kareena Cuthbert (C), Amy Brodie, Millie Brown, Bex Condie, Robyn Collins, Amy Costello, Mairi Drummond, *Ali Howie, Sarah Jamieson, Lucy Lanigan, *Nikki Alexander-Lloyd, *Sarah Robertson, Katie Robertson, *Nic Skrastin, *Becky Ward, Charlotte Watson. Travelling Reserves: Karin Belch, *Becky Merchant.