Scotland women’s captain Abbi Aitken has today announced that she will be stepping down from her role as captain with immediate effect.
Aitken, who has led the side for 8 years and earned 135 caps along the way will pass on the reins after a lot of deliberating, but feels that the time is right.
“I feel I’m at a stage in my journey where it’s time to concentrate on my own game and show what I can offer the team solely as a player. In order for me to give that my best shot it’s time to pass on the armband – a new challenge for me but one I’m definitely ready for.”
“At just 19 years of age at the beginning of my term, I feel that handling the responsibility, conquering the challenges and coping with the pressure have all helped to shape me as a person and developed me as a cricketer. Now at 26, hopefully my best playing years are yet to come and my desire to contribute towards winning games for my country certainly hasn’t subsided.” Aitken added.
Coach Steve Knox was first to pay tribute to Aitken, “As current coach, and on behalf of both myself and the previous coaches she’s worked with, I’d like to thank Abbi for the dedication, energy and enthusiasm she has contributed to the Wildcats and Scotland over the past eight years. Her leadership and organisational skills will be sorely missed and hard to replace.
This new phase of her career will allow her to focus more on her own game than everyone else’s and I’m sure the team will benefit from this moving forward.”
Aitken has also been a fantastic ambassador off the field to, as Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Cannon cites, “Abbi is an inspiration to young sports stars, both male and female, and her ongoing passion for the game continues to motivate others. The fact that she took on the Scotland captaincy at such a young age yet showed exceptional maturity throughout her reign shows aspiring young athletes what can be achieved.
It is great for Scottish sports that Abbi is intending to continue her international cricketing career and as a key part of Cricket Scotland’s small but dedicated back-office team, we look forward to her ongoing contributions both on and off the field.”
Aitken concluded, “I’m happy in knowing that I’m handing over a team that’s more knowledgeable, experienced, athletically capable and who have a governing body and board backing them all the way.
It’s been a whirlwind journey and a rollercoaster of emotions over the last seven seasons but an experience I will forever be grateful for. I am extremely proud to be Scottish, and to have had the opportunity to represent my country as captain for the length of time that I did, will undoubtedly remain my proudest achievement.”
