Scotland Women will travel to Desert Springs on Monday 26 February for a warm-weather training camp in preparation for the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Qualifier.
The 16-player squad will spend seven days in Spain, and will be joined by four members of coaching staff. Interim Head Coach Craig Wallace will be supported by Joe Kinghorn-Gray and Kari Carswell (Assistant Coaches) and Chris Powell (Physio).
Scotland are familiar with Desert Springs, having won the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier at the resort in September, before heading back in October to compete in a multi-format series with Ireland.
The travelling squad will combine several training days with three practice-match T20s against Sunrisers, one of the eight regional hubs in English Domestic cricket.
Sunrisers are the regional side for whom Scotland’s Abtaha Maqsood is contracted to and represented in the Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup in each of the last two seasons.
Craig Wallace, Cricket Scotland’s Interim Women’s Head Coach, said:
“This camp is a great opportunity to get the group together ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup Qualifiers, and to be able to get in some high-quality practice outside, against quality opposition, which will be a welcome break from being indoors!
“A lot of the squad have been doing really well and spending a lot of time down south, which means we don’t get time together as a squad too often, so to have this opportunity to spend time together and continue work hard as a group ahead of a big few months is really valuable.
“The week will give us the chance to look at different options ahead of selecting the squad for the qualifier, and, with a few players unavailable, it’s an opportunity for players who have recently come through the pathway such as Niamh Muir and Maisie Maceira to continue to learn and develop, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them show off their skills.
“A big part of it for them will be seeing and being a part of the culture of the team. Since I’ve been involved that’s something that we’ve all looked to drive, creating a good space to learn and improve, whilst also enjoying our time together. Hopefully they will see not only how hard the squad work, but also how much fun we have in doing so, and they embrace that.
“It will be really good to have Katherine Fraser and Rachel Slater back around the group. I haven’t been able to spend too much time with them so far, but they’re both back fit now and raring to go, and they will add a lot of value to the group.”
Scotland squad:
| Sarah Bryce | Blaze |
| Darcey Carter | South East Stars |
| Priyanaz Chatterji | South East Stars/Carlton |
| Maryam Faisal | West of Scotland/Clydesdale |
| Katherine Fraser | Northern Diamonds/Stewart’s Melville |
| Gabriella Fontenla | Carlton |
| Becky Glen | Northern Lights |
| Lorna Jack | Grange |
| Ailsa Lister | Thunder |
| Maisie Maceira | Gala/Carlton |
| Abtaha Maqsood | Sunrisers |
| Megan McColl | Northern Lights/Strathmore |
| Niamh Muir | Watsonian/St Michaels |
| Hannah Rainey | Thunder |
| Nayma Sheikh | West of Scotland/East Kilbride |
| Ellen Watson | West of Scotland/Clydesdale |
Note: Gabriella Fontenla has replaced Rachel Slater, who will remain in the UK to continue her recovery from injury.
T20 Fixtures:
29 February: Scotland XI vs Sunrisers – 1400 (Local)
1 March: Scotland XI vs Sunrisers – 1400 (Local)
2 March: Scotland XI vs Sunrisers – 1400 (Local)
The selection process for this squad can be viewed here.
