100 DAYS TO GO UNTIL WOMEN'S T20 WORLD CUP AS EXCITEMENT BUILDS
The countdown to this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup has continued across England and Wales to celebrate 100 days until the first ball of the tournament.
Scotland stars were present at Old Trafford (Olivia Bell, Darcey Carter and Ailsa Lister) and Headingley (Rachel Slater) to mark the moment, with Scotland set to play at both venues in their second Women's T20 World Cup appearance.
Scotland open their World Cup campaign against Ireland at Old Trafford on Saturday 13 June, where they will also play Sri Lanka - and in between they will face England and the West Indies at Headingley, and New Zealand at Bristol.
Olivia Bell (Lancashire Thunder) said: "It’s a super exciting opportunity - to have played games at Old Trafford, and watched games at Old Trafford when I was younger, and then be involved in a tournament with Scotland that will be played here is so exciting.
“I’m lucky enough that my parents have been able to come on tours, but it’s not always possible for friends and grandparents to travel around the world, so it’s really exciting that so many people are going to have the opportunity to come and watch us a couple of hours down the road.
“It would be so cool for us as players and for Cricket Scotland to see big support at all of our games. There won’t be a better opportunity to see Scotland at a World Cup so close by, so it would be exciting to get as many people and as many young girls as possible watching us."
The most eagerly-anticipated clash for Scotland will be the meeting with hosts England on Saturday 20 June at Headingley Stadium - Rachel Slater's home ground.
Slater said: “I didn’t stop smiling for two days when I found out we'd be playing England at Headingley.
"This is genuinely something I’ve dreamt about, and as a 24-year-old professional cricketer this is as big as it gets for me, so I’m really looking forward to it.
"It’s going to be really special singing Flower of Scotland at the ground I’ve grown up watching cricket at, and I’m now playing cricket at, and to hopefully have all my friends and family here supporting Scotland.
"Hopefully we'll have a big crowd in, and get a big Scottish support in, so it should be an amazing day."