Intercontinental Cup, Day 3. Stirling County Cricket Club hosts a four-day international match between Scotland and Afghanistan.
A wonderful opportunity to see the best cricketers in Scotland in action for the national side in a fixture that could ultimately pave the way to Scotland achieving full Test status.
Courtesy of the Cricket Scotland website, build up and news of the Scotland squad for this week’s match as follows:-
Preston Mommsen captains the side, following his century against a UAE XI at Hampshire. 19-year-old Andrew Umeed and Hamish Gardiner, who also fared well in that match, are included in the squad.
Scotland will have Durham duo, Calum MacLeod and Gavin Main at their disposal, as they start a journey that could pave the way to Test status.
All-rounder Con de Lange could be in line for his first Scotland cap, with Matthew Cross expected to keep wicket.
It will be the first time since the ICC 2015 World Cup that Scotland have met Afghanistan, an encounter which was won by Afghanistan in the final over by a solitary wicket.
It will also be the first occasion that Stirling County Cricket Club will host a First Class fixture.
Head coach Grant Bradburn said, “This is the first step in an exciting opportunity to push our case for Test status. We have had some good preparation against UAE, and will be looking to bring that confidence into this first key match of the I-Cup.”
He added, “We’ve got an exciting mix of youth and experience in our side and we will be looking to put the opposition under pressure in our home conditions at Stirling, which we know well.”
Entry to the match will be free of charge. Gates will open at 10:15am, with play starting at 11am.
Scotland squad in full –
Preston Mommsen (capt), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross, Freddie Coleman, Con de Lange, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, Safyaan Sharif, Andrew Umeed, Mark Watt.
Photo credit: Cricket Scotland/Donald MacLeod