Cricket World Cup Team Preview: Winning a match Scotland’s mission
Published:
Number of previous appearances: 2
Last appearance: 2007
Best finish: Group Stage (1999, 2007)
2014 ODI record: Played 21, Won 7, Lost 9, Tied 0, No Result 5
Pool: A
First 3 fixtures: New Zealand, England, Afghanistan
Coach: Grant Bradburn
Squad: Preston Mommsen (captain), Kyle Coetzer (vice-captain), Richie Berrington, Frederick Coleman, Matthew Cross, Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Rob Taylor, Iain Wardlaw.
Top runscorer: Kyle Coetzer
Scotland coach Bradburn’s decision to take the captaincy off Coetzer in order to let the Northamptonshire right-hander concentrate on his batting paid dividends in 2014. The opener was Scotland’s leading batsman on their pre-World Cup trip to Australia and New Zealand in September, racking up 333 runs at 55.50, including the only hundred of the tour.
Top wicket taker: Iain Wardlaw
Although the 29-year-old struggles to make it into Yorkshire’s star-studded first XI his medium-fast action is the best in Scotland’s seam attack. Boasting an average of 28.47 from 16 ODIs in Scottish colours, Wardlaw chalked up career best figures of 4-22 in his country’s last completed warm-up game against Pool A opponents Afghanistan on January 14th.
Magic man: Callum MacLeod
An explosive batsman who has the power and panache to grab an innings by the scruff of the neck, the 25-year-old former Warwickshire bat is one to watch. He laid down Scotland’s highest individual ODI knock of 175 just last year against Canada in Christchurch, one of four international 100s in 2014.
Pre-tournament storyline:
Aside from appointing New Zealander Bradbrun to head the coaching staff in April ’14, former Durham and England all-rounder Paul Collingwood’s involvement with the squad has been particularly well received by the players.
Tournament odds: 1000/1
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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