Doug Watson leaves role as Scotland men's head coach

Doug Watson has left his role as Scotland men's head coach after being in charge of the team for more than two years.

Watson, now 52, had been appointed as head coach on an interim basis in March 2023 before his position was formalised in 2024.

"While I'm disappointed to be moving on, I'll take with me many fond memories of my time with the organisation," Watson said. "It has been a pleasure to work with this squad and coaching staff, and I'm proud to leave with the team top of the ICC CWCL2 qualifying table, but I am now looking forward to spending more time with my family.

"I'm honoured to have worked with Cricket Scotland, and I will follow their future progress closely. I wish everyone involved every success moving forward."

In a statement, Cricket Scotland said: "The decision was taken following a review of recent results, and subsequent planning around future fixtures and allocation of budget."

Under Watson, Scotland beat Namibia and Oman in the 2024 T20 World Cup, and narrowly missed out on qualification for the Super Eights. Scotland, however, will not be part of next year's T20 World Cup after losing to Italy in the T20 World Cup Europe Region Final in July this year.

"I'd like to thank Doug for all his efforts with the team during his time in charge," Cricket Scotland Head of Performance Steve Snell said. "He is well-liked by the players, has made a positive impact in many areas, and has enjoyed some memorable moments with the squad during his time as head coach.

"With no fixtures until March 2026, and with Doug being based overseas, it is the right time to ensure that our coaching provision reflects what the needs of the squad and the organisation will be in the coming year and beyond. We wish Doug all the best for his next steps, and we are thankful for his contributions to Scottish cricket."

Scotland are set to appoint a new head coach ahead of their League 2 series in Namibia in March 2026.