Netball World Cup: Captain Maxwell set to become Scotland's most capped player

Claire Maxwell is heading to her third Netball World Cup

Captain Claire Maxwell is set to become Scotland's most capped player after being selected in the Scottish Thistles squad for the Netball World Cup.

Maxwell, 34, leads a 12-player squad named by head coach Tamsin Greenway for the event in Cape Town, South Africa, which runs from 28 July-6 August.

The Scots play Malawi Queens, Barbados and the Vitality Roses in Pool B.

"I have changed a lot as a player, teammate and person since my first World Cup," said Maxwell.

"I'm ready to embrace the challenge and use all my previous learnings to get the best out of myself and the team in South Africa."

It will be a third World Cup for Maxwell and a first for Cerys Cairns, Iona Christian, Rachel Conway, Cerys Finn, Hannah Grant, Hannah Leighton and Emma Love.

Vice-captain Emily Nicholl, as well as Emma Barrie, Bethan Goodwin and Niamh McCall complete the selection.

The Scots, currently ranked ninth in the world, will be out to better their 11th-placed finish at the finals in 2019, which was their highest placing since ninth in 1991.

"The biggest part of selecting the 12 is looking at the whole picture, who fits in tactically, who covers who, what are the what ifs, what do they bring to the culture?" said Greenway.

"It's so much more than just who plays netball well, the reality is this was the most competitive selection we've had since I've been in post which means behind the scenes the work we are doing is paying off.

"It's an exciting squad, it's a group of players that fit the style we want to play both in attack and defence.

"It's relatively young, but it's a talented group that are always wanting to learn and achieve more."

• Releasing Keiko, the killer whale of 'Free Willy': The story of how the Hollywood icon was let back into the wild

• How to get cheap flight tickets: Martin Lewis gives us his top tips...