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#ClubToCountry: Megan McColl

In a new series, we chart the rise of our international cricketers from #ClubToCountry.

Cricket Scotland @CricketScotland
June 2, 2020 4 years
#ClubToCountry: Megan McColl

All-rounder Megan McColl, who earned her first cap in 2019, talks through her rise from club cricket at Arbroath United to the international stage for Scotland in the first of a new series.

“My love of cricket was inspired by Clarence Parfitt,” Megan, aged 19, said.

“He visited my primary school and taught my class about cricket and then got me along to the local cricket club [Abroath United]. He always pushed me to do my best and has no doubt been the inspiration for my love of the game.”

“I played soft ball cricket for years at Abroath, then I lived in Australia for two years and carried on playing both indoor and outdoor cricket whilst I was out there. When I came back, I went back to Arbroath and started playing hardball cricket with the boys.”

Megan, who also features for the Stormers in Scotland’s Regional Series, talks about the moment she realised playing for Scotland was a real possibility.

“Clarence said to me ‘I got you a trial with the Scotland U17s’ and I think at that point, I thought I wasn’t going to get in. But when I got selected and started playing a lot of cricket, I always had the thought of playing for the national team. In my last year of playing for Scotland U17s the coaches asked if I’d like to one day play for the National team, and of course I said yes. It then hit me I could possibly play for Scotland.”

“That Scotland U17s programme was my most memorable. It was the first type of all-girls cricket I ever played. I always had the best support from the coaches throughout the years and it definitely helped me develop my cricket.

McColl went on to feature for Scotland A and the Women’s Performance Academy, before earning her first cap in 2019.

She made her T20I debut against Germany in the ICC Women’s Qualifier Europe, before being selected for the Women’s Quadrangular Series in The Netherlands in August and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Dundee and Angus in September of last year.

“I never really knew properly what it meant to wear the thistle, but after experiencing a few ICC tournaments, it definitely made me realise that pulling on my Scotland shirt and seeing the thistle is the thing I am most proud of in my life.

“When you play for Scotland, it’s just nothing you have ever experienced before. I am so proud to be able to have the chance to represent my country and I can’t put into words really how much it means to me. It’s an unreal feeling.

“For any youngsters who are wanting to playing for Scotland, I would say I learnt to never give up and push yourself. If you want to go far you have to always challenge yourself and try to do your best. But at the end of the day, you have to enjoy your cricket no matter what!”

#FollowScotland


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