The topic of leadership within this Yorkshire squad is something I spoke a lot about to Rich Pyrah during the winter, about me taking on a bit more of a senior role whether that was in an official role or not. It’s something I enjoy doing, so I was absolutely buzzing when asked to take on the job of vice captain alongside Maddie Ward.
Just being able to learn from Lauren as our captain, someone who’s played a lot of cricket and captained a lot at a really high level, I think it will only do good things for my game.
I’m really excited and looking forward to getting back around the girls and hopefully into some games soon.
That won’t be immediately as I need a bit of recovery time from a wrist injury I suffered during our pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi and then had to manage whilst playing for Scotland in the 50-over World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan, which finished a couple of weeks ago.
But I’m sure the girls will build on what was a really impressive performance against Sussex at the weekend. After what was a pretty big loss against Worcestershire on the opening day, it was good to see how dominant we were at Hove.
From start to finish, every player just looked very good and assured with what they were trying to do, and we can now put that opening day behind us.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Rachel Slater is one of Yorkshire’s vice captains alongside Maddie Ward. They are working alongside skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill. Slater is not ready to return to county action as she recovers from a wrist injury picked up in March.
I watched both games. The first was whilst I was still in Pakistan. We had a day off that day, and those were just spent killing time around the hotel because of security. So I managed to watch most of that game on the stream. Then, I watched the Sussex one from home.
I was so impressed with how Amelia Love has bowled in her first two games. She’s been class.
For her to have the confidence to go out and bowl like she did with four wickets on her first-team debut is so exciting. She has come on so much since training with us this winter, and it’s clear that she’s a really, really good young bowler.
From a Scotland point of view, it was a mix of emotions following that tournament.
As a team, we were pretty disappointed to not qualify for the World Cup.
But, at the same time, I think the fact we feel that way coming back from such a high-quality tournament having played against some really good teams shows that we are progressing as a group. Two years ago, we definitely wouldn’t have been in this position. So we can take a lot from that.
Picture by Alex Davidson. ICC via Getty Images. Rachel Slater in action for Scotland.
Personally, I went alright. I’m pretty happy, especially having scored the first fifty of my senior career for any team. That 61 not out came in defeat against Bangladesh in a record eighth-wicket partnership of 115 with Priyanaz Chatterji.
It’s pretty cool to think that I was part of the highest ever eighth-wicket partnership in ODI cricket. It’s just a shame I couldn’t get a few more to help us get the win.
It’s definitely an innings which has given me a lot of confidence with the bat.
I’ve always known that I can bat.
In training for every team I’ve played for, everyone always says I can bat and I’m not number 11 and stuff. But it doesn’t really help you when you’re still batting there and not getting much opportunity.
Batting at number nine, which I did, I don’t want to be going in in the 25th over or whatever it was. But if that does happen, I know I’ve got the skills to do well against any bowling attack.
Picture by Alex Davidson. ICC via Getty Images. Rachel Slater bats for Scotland.
Over the last year or so, from playing in the UAE, India and Pakistan, my game against spin has developed so much. I genuinely believe I’m a really good player of spin now with the bat. In the women’s game, people can struggle with that. But I think that’s a real strength of mine.
Hopefully that’s something I can build on with Yorkshire through the summer.
I was slightly disappointed at times with how I bowled, given the work that I’ve done over the winter. But I guess that’s cricket.
It’s not always going to go 100 percent how you want it, but I’d definitely have taken that tournament (six wickets in four games) personally if you’d have offered it to me at the start of the tour.
It was funny with my bowling because, last year with the Diamonds, it was completely the opposite. I felt like I’d been struggling a bit in terms of taking wickets even though I’d been bowling really well.
But batting, bowling, doing everything against some of the best players in the world, I do feel like it’s helping my cricket so much. Fingers crossed, that continues.
