Cricketer Charis celebrates a remarkable season all round

But Borders cricket has also been claiming international honours.

To be more precise, a local player has been hitting stunning new boundaries.

Charis Scott, a 16-year-old all-rounder from Galashiels, who plays with Gala CC and Carlton Ladies in Edinburgh, started the season with hopes of keeping her place in Scotland’s U17s side. But she finished it, incredibly, with a first senior international cap.

Charis took her cricket to a new level when she joined Carlton Ladies and duly captained the Eastern Knights U16s – leading well with 88 not out, her highest knock to date.

She had already made her debut for Scotland, with the U17s squad when she was just 13, so had a track record in playing up a few levels.

When Scottish Cricket this year launched a Scottish Wildcats U21s side, to bridge the gap from the 17s to senior cricket, the Galashiels Academy student quickly became a star in that side too.

Against Leicestershire U17s in Stirling, Charis opened the batting and helped the side to 267 all out in the opener, and claimed two wickets for 14 as she helped the Scots bowl Leicestershire out for 87 in a great victory. With 34 runs and another two wickets, for just 12 runs, she helped Scotland to a double with another win, this time by 66 runs.

Against Lincolnshire, the Borderer recorded her best figures of the season with four wickets for 31, and duly helped demolish Derbyshire, with another 33 runs added to the Scott scorecard.

Charis finished her U17s form with 90 runs, 11 wickets and three catches, the most wickets taken by any player this season – and she only began bowling leg spin last year.

However, the season was not yet over as Charis stepped up to the under-21s and, while harder going, she still made her mark with 44 runs and a one-handed diving catch against the Eastern Knights boys team, and strong displays against Durham Academy and the Germany Women’s side, the latter game played at her home club of Gala CC.

“The highlights of my season have been getting my first ever 50, playing for Carlton Ladies against Edinburgh South Ladies, and then my 88 for Eastern Knights which was a big boost for my confidence”, she said. “But the biggest highlight has to be getting called up for Scotland Wildcats and getting my first cap.”

Charis has also had funding support from Clubsport Ettrick and Lauderdale and the Rowan Boland Trust.