Ireland U19 Women’s coach Glenn Querl: “Don’t leave anything in the shed

Ireland Under-19 Women’s coach Glenn Querl spoke from the team hotel earlier ahead of their upcoming Super Six encounter against South Africa at the ICC Under-19s Women’s T20 World Cup.

Querl, (36), took Ireland Under-19 Women’s squad to the 2023 ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. He has been working within the Irish women’s programme for the last five-and-a-half years, having spent eight years coaching men’s and women’s cricket in the UK. He was also head coach of the Scorchers in the Evoke Super Series, helping them to win back-to-back 50-over and T20 titles.

After their dramatic win against Pakistan yesterday in Johor to secure Super Six qualification, players and coaching staff travelled immediately to Borneo to begin preparation for the next phase of the tournament. In the team hotel he spoke about adapting to conditions during the group stages:

“We found the pitches a little bit slow, as well as the outfields. Boundaries are obviously a massive part of the T20 game - so when the number of them is down from where it would usually, that has a big impact.” 

On preparation for this World Cup:

“We’ve been really happy with how the girls have prepared. We were in Loughborough in August and then played South Africa in a five-match T20I series in October and November. Before coming here, we also had our training camp in Dubai so we’ve been really happy with the prep coming into this. The players have had a strength and conditioning programme for two years now and it helps them be able to play cricket for this length of time without getting niggles or anything like that, so we can keep eleven players on the park more often than not.”

On managing expectations with tropical rain about:

“It’s out of our control. We’re used to the weather, so it’s just being able to switch off and switch on – are you able to park that and put that to the back of your mind? And when you do get an opportunity to play, can you take it?” 

On building a close-knit team:

“I think the two years of preparation coming into this tournament stands to that. The girls have spent lots of time together because we’re lucky as an island that everyone sees each other quite often. I think in some of the bigger countries you maybe come together for camps and then you disappear, and you won’t see somebody for a couple of months, so we’re really lucky that we get to see each other week in week out with training. That, over time, breeds a really good family.” 

The mentality in big games in tournaments:

“You want to play big games in a tournament like this. Mindset? We’re going to leave everything out there. Regardless of the results, can you learn from the USA game, can you take something from there and use it in the Pakistan in terms of conditions or skillsets or whatever that is? And most important, make sure you don’t leave anything in the shed and you give it socks. If the players do that, there will be no complaints from me.”

Where to watch (Ireland/UK):

• 25 January 2025: Ireland U19s Women v South Africa U19s Women (6.30am) – Sky Sports+ 416
• 29 January 2025: Ireland U19s Women v Nigeria U19s Women (2.30am) – Sky Sports Main Event 401

Squad:

• Niamh MacNulty (Merrion) captain, Ally Boucher (Merrion), Abbi Harrison (Waringstown), Jennifer Jackson (Eglinton), Rebecca Lowe (Lisburn), Lara McBride (The Hills), Kia McCartney (Coleraine), Ellie McGee (Rush), Julie McNally (Clontarf), Genevieve Morrissey (Clontarf), Lucy Neely (Fox Lodge), Freya Sargent (Clontarf) vice-captain, Millie Spence (Bready), Annabel Squires (Merrion), Alice Walsh (Clontarf). 

Coaching and support staff: Glenn Querl (Head Coach), James Cameron-Dow (Assistant Coach), Nigel Jones (Team Manager), Stuart Thompson (Strength & Conditioning), Julia Webster (Physiotherapist), Alison White (Team Doctor).