Scotland, Ireland Women Return To International Arena

Scotland and Ireland women's wait for international action will culminate after an intermission of over 600 days with Stormont in Belfast holding its first International women's game since 1997, the International Cricket Council said on Monday

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021 ) :Scotland and Ireland women's wait for international action will culminate after an intermission of over 600 days with Stormont in Belfast holding its first International women's game since 1997, the International Cricket Council said on Monday.

Scotland and Ireland's women have gone 21 months since their last international action. That wait was extended at least one more day, as weather delayed the scheduled May 23 start of the T20I series in Belfast. Teams and fans should be delighted that the game has been rescheduled for May 25 in an effort to keep the series at four games.

The teams were meant to meet for last November's planned Celtic Women's Series in Spain before the event was cancelled due to covid-19. This series offers a second chance for both teams to sharpen skills ahead of the European Qualifiers for the T20 World Cup in August.

With a number of Irish first team regulars still playing abroad, including wicketkeeper Mary Waldron, a veteran of 102 Ireland international contests, the series also presents an opportunity for Ireland captain Laura Delany and debutant coach Mark Coles to test Ireland's depth.

Captain Kathryn Bryce, who was recently named ICC's Women's Associate Cricketer of the Decade, will lead a young Scottish side featuring sister and vice-captain Sarah Bryce, young spinners Abtaha Maqsood and Katherine Fraser (youngest player to ever represent Scotland when she debuted), and uncapped Iqra Farooq and Alisa Lister.

The series also marks Ireland Women's return to Stormont in Belfast, a venue that has not hosted international women's cricket since 1997.