The teenager leading Scotland into World Cup battle

Not many people get to captain their country at a World Cup but Dumfries teenager Niamh Muir is set to enjoy that honour soon.

She was the skipper of the Scotland Under-19 women's cricket side that last year qualified to go to Malaysia.

They will test their skills in a group containing one of the sport's biggest names - Australia - along with Bangladesh and qualifiers Nepal in the T20 tournament which starts on Saturday.

Niamh has had to juggle work, studies and training in order to be ready for the competition.

Still, it is something she has been working a long time to achieve since starting out at about 11 or 12 years old with local club St Michael's.

"My dad used to play cricket, so I kind of got brought up around it," she said.

"I was always there at the weekend, stuff like that.

"And then I kind of thought, I'll just give it a try.

"I took a liking to it and was actually quite good and then moved up the levels quite quickly."

Proud father Duncan had been taking Niamh with him on game days since she was about three years old.

"When she had a go when she was 12 we all were surprised the level she was at with no training or coaching," he recalled.

"The overseas professional at the club took her under his wing and developed her to a solid all-round cricketer."

They are clearly very proud of her achievements at St Michael's.

"I'm the only girl at the club at the moment, so I've kind of been brought up around the whole men's team," she said.

"But they're lovely, they're really including."

Niamh started out in club cricket before playing regional matches and then into Scotland U15s and now the U19s.

It was en route to the World Cup that she was handed the skipper's role.

"I captained the qualifiers," she said.

"It was something really new for me - I've never done it before, but the coaches thought I'd be a really good match for it."

That showdown with the Netherlands could hardly have gone much better with three wins out of three.

"We all really, really enjoyed it - it was a new atmosphere for some of the girls as well, which was good," she said.

"Obviously going to the World Cup is going to be quite a big step but it'll be good for us."

The competition starts on 18 January and runs until 2 February - but what would success look like?

"I think just playing as much cricket as we can in that time," Niamh said.

"Just getting that game time against harder opponents to see where we need to be.

"Obviously getting past the group stages would be ideal for us, but it is a big step."

The 19-year-old has been batting number three for her country of late and describes herself as "quite a confident player".

Her teammates come from right across Scotland as well as players born in England but with Scottish roots.

They have been getting together in the build-up to the World Cup to prepare the best they can and are ready for the challenge.

"We've always got a want to win attitude - which I think is really good," Niamh said.

"I think we've actually got a really, really strong squad this year.

"We've had a lot games over the summer and stuff like training, but we've all really grown - we've all really improved quite a bit."

Niamh's father describes the U19s side as a "talented bunch" who will "give 100%" no matter who they are playing.

He said it had been a great pleasure to watch his daughter grow "through the ups and downs" and long winter trips to play across Scotland and England.

"We are all so so proud of what she has achieved and I know that she wears the thistle on her chest with pride," he said.

"It is something every sportsperson wants to do, play and captain your country.

"The hard work that she and the coaches have put in is second to none, developing Niamh into an all-rounded person with great situational awareness.

"You can't imagine how proud we are of what she has become - something that puts a smile on the face of her family."