The Northern Diamonds are delighted to announce the signing of Scotland Under 19s captain Katherine Fraser for the 2023 regional summer.
Eighteen-year-old off-spinning all-rounder Fraser led her country’s age-group side at January’s inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa.
She has also played 31 senior T20 internationals, debuting for her country aged just 14 years and 81 days in 2019. She has taken 39 wickets, including a best of 4-19.
“Katherine’s one of the youngest international cricketers on the circuit, particularly when she made her debut, and she’s come through a really good school system up in Scotland,” said James Carr, the director of cricket for the Northern Diamonds.
“She’s a genuine all-rounder. I think she’ll predominantly be used as a bowler to begin with given the strength of our batting, but she’s very good with the bat. I’m excited to see how that develops as well.”
Fraser travelled with the squad on last month’s pre-season tour to Desert Springs in Spain.
The Edinburgh-born teenager is the third signing for the Diamonds in 2023 following batter Rebecca Duckworth from Lancashire Thunder and South Africa overseas all-rounder Chloe Tryon.
“Katherine’s been turning it on early-season wet and green practice wickets, which bodes well for when it dries up a bit,” said Carr.
“She’s fitted in really well. She came across to Desert Springs with us and has absolutely not looked out of place.
“We’ve lost Leigh Kasperek, so she bolsters our off-spin stocks.
“We have two leg-spinners in Hollie (Armitage) and Lev (Katie Levick), who turn it the other way. So she complements what we’ve got really well.”
BENONI, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 20: Katherine Fraser of Scotland speaks to their side in the huddle during the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2023 4th place playoff match between USA and Scotland at Willowmoore Park on January 20, 2023 in Benoni, South Africa. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Fraser qualifies to play for the Diamonds as a local player, making her the the region’s second domestic signing of the year.
On the other, Duckworth – the 22-year-old batter from Preston, Carr added: “Rebecca has come across from the other side of the Pennines to take up an opportunity with us, and she’s been training with us all winter.
“She’s settled in really well and has integrated into the squad. She’s a great character, is really hard-working and is probably one of the fittest athletes we’ve got.
“We’ve seen her cricket and her batting develop over the winter.
“It looks like she’s really enjoying her cricket, and we saw a glimpse of what she can do out in Spain with a couple of red-inkers and some middle to lower order runs. We’re delighted with her signing.”
Fraser could come into contention for the Bank Holiday game at Sunrisers (Chelmsford) today (Monday).
