Scots girls earn praise for World Cup commitment
SCOTLAND Women’s cricket coach Steve Knox has challenged his players to make the ‘Super Six’ stage in the World Cup qualifiers in Sri Lanka.
The team depart on Sunday for two warm-up games against Ireland in Dubai before travelling on to the main event.
There, after a final warm-up against Zimbabwe, Knox’s charges will face South Africa (February 8), Bangladesh (February 10), Papa New Guinea (February 11) and Pakistan (February 13) in Group B.
The top four teams after the ‘Super Six’ stage will join Australia, hosts England, New Zealand and West Indies in the World Cup in June and July.
It will be an uphill task for Scotland to progress, however, under Knox, the Heriot’s batsman who previously played internationally and also coaches Germany’s men, they have been making good progress.
What has been most impressive is the rise of young players such as sisters Kathryn and Sarah Bryce and Abtaha Maqsood.
Knox said: “They’re all students or work full-time, but they’ve committed completely to the programme.
“Playing regular cricket down south last summer helped a lot of them move their games on and since October the squad members who have not been playing abroad have been working hard indoors.
“We were even down in Loughborough one day and we trained in simulated heat so that we could get used to what it will be like in Sri Lanka.
“We all know that these matches will be tough but if we can battle hard and get into the ‘Super Six’ phase then who knows what can happen.”
Captain Abbi Aitken, 25, believes the increasing number of young Scots girls playing the game is a big boost to her squad.
Aitken, who first played for Scotland when she was just 14, said: “When I was growing up and getting into cricket I was the only girl in a boy’s team, but now young girls are growing up with a lot more structure to their cricket.
“There are girls teams and coaches at a lot of schools and clubs from quite a young age and there is a real pathway.
“Also, it can be quite daunting for girls to head along to a training session full of boys, but now they are able to head along with their friends and have fun while learning.
“We’re under no illusions about how tough some of the matches are going to be, but I have seen this group really move things on a level and we have all grown in confidence.”
Squad: Abbi Aitken (c), Kari Anderson (v-c), Kathryn Bryce, Sarah Bryce, Priyanaz Chatterji, Kirstie Gordon, Samantha Haggo, Lorna Jack, Abtaha Maqsood, Katie McGill, Liz Priddle, Ollie Rae, Rachel Scholes, Fi Urquhart.