Scotland appoint Mark Coles as women’s coach

Cricket Scotland have appointed Mark Coles as coach of the Scottish women’s national team.

Coles has signed a two-year full-time contract, becoming the first full-time coach of the Scottish women’s team.

Mark Coles joins the setup following a stint as high-performance manager at the Japan Cricket Association, and was previously head coach of the Pakistan women’s national team between 2017 and 2019. The New Zealander boasts a resumé that also includes coaching roles with Vanuatu and Wellington Blaze. Coles takes over from Steven Knox, who has been part time coach of Scotland since 2016.

In a Cricket Scotland press release, Coles said: “I am very humbled to be given the opportunity to work with such a talented group and I am extremely excited about what we can achieve. Scotland is a wonderful sporting nation with a rich sporting history. I have no doubt that when we play, we will be playing with the pride, passion, and bravery that the Scottish people are known for around the world.”

Cricket Scotland CEO, Gus Mackay expressed the move for Coles on a full-time basis signalled the forward movement of Scottish cricket.

“Mark’s appointment as full-time coach of our women’s national team represents a big step forward for women’s cricket in this country. We conducted a robust recruitment process for this role, considering candidates with a wide range of cricket backgrounds from around the world. Mark’s experience and achievements with Pakistan made him a standout candidate for the role.

The appointment comes ahead of a busy twelve-month period for Scotland’s women. The side will host the T20 World Cup European qualifier in August, hosting Ireland, Netherlands, France, Germany and Turkey. They are also expected to play in the Commonwealth Games qualifier later this year. Scotland are likely to face sides including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh for one berth at next year’s games in Birmingham.

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