Eyes on the prize
It's the eve of the World Cricket League, a competition involving the top six associate cricket nations and our aim is simple - to win the tournament, just as we did in the ICC Trophy in Ireland nearly two years back to qualify for the World Cup.
It's not going to be easy though. All our opponents are at full strength and conditions in Nairobi will benefit the teams who execute the basics of cricket most effectively.
We have trained at Nairobi Gymkhana, the picturesque venue that famously hosted Kenya's victory over Sri Lanka in the 2003 World Cup, and the wicket looks very flat and true.
I can guarantee there'll be plenty of runs scored over the next week and a half. The boundaries are small, so there is no margin for error for bowlers and the team who wins the tournament may well be the side whose attack is the most disciplined.
We still have a few players and members of the coaching staff down with a stomach bug caught in Mombasa. Glenn Rogers, our left-arm spinner, could be struggling to start our opening fixture against Ireland and thatâÂÂs a shame because in his last start against Canada he took 2-22 off 10 overs.
Our other left-arm spinner, Ross Lyons, is suffering from severe cramps, fitness coach Andy Jackson has been bed-ridden for the past three days, while Ryan Watson and myself are still making impromptu dashes to the rest room with irregular bowel movements, but a couple of tablets before the start of play should sort that out.
Nairobi's weather is perfect for cricket. At around 5,500 feet above sea level, it's around 12 degrees cooler than Mombasa. The only issue for the players is the lack of oxygen, but with the amount of cricket and training we've done over the past couple of months, it shouldn't be an issue. All the guys are as fit as they've ever been.
There is a lot at stake in the World Cricket League. The two top teams will play in the Twenty/20 World Championship in South Africa this September. Not only that, they'll also receive around £130,000 each, which will be great for the development of Scottish cricket.
As players though, we won't be thinking about the rewards. Like a boxer before a world title fight, we are all on edge and totally focused. We know that if we each play to the best of our ability and trust our sporting instincts, everything else will fall into place.
Best of luck to the lads in Nairobi. You have a wonderful opportunity to cement ourselves as the "best of the rest" outwith the Test playing nations as well as the chance to earn Scottish Cricket some much needed funds.
Chances like this don't come around too often so go out there and be heroes. Get into them!
Complain about this postFirst of all Paul, its good to hear about Scottish Cricket and the game up north in general. It was abit dissapointing for the game i thought when the Scotland Sabres were removed from the Totesport Leagues a couple of years ago, when it was not only good for Cricket in Scotland but in the game overall as the game was geting better awareness north of the border.
Best of luck in the World Cricket League and in the upcoming 2007 World Cup where both you and Ireland will be competting againgst the big boys.
It would be really intresting to know where and if Scotland would be able to play some ODI's every year againgst the test playing nations or even the Test Nations 'A' teams.
Hopefully Scotland can put on a good showing in the World Cricket League and put in respectable performances in the Caribbean where hopefully the game can be taken forward and who knows maybe Scotland could get a permanent fixture in the 1-day leagues and County Championships.
Who knows.
Complain about this postA much improved performance from Scotland against Kenya last week, how do you fancy your chances in the World Cup ?
What is your opinion on Australians or players from other nations playing for Scotland. Don't you think that by taking your place in the
side other talented Scottish bowlers such as Chris Cavanagh or Colin Blackwood are missing
out .
Enjoy your trips to the rest room with Ryan, see you in St. Kitts . Good luck in the World Cup
All the best
Bon
Complain about this postCome on Scotland! I will be rooting for the boys to win the forthcoming world cricket league. A good start against Ireland and we should be in with a big shout of winning the whole competition.
Looking forward to following all the games in the coming weeks and good luck for the World Cup fixtures in March.
Come on Scotland!
Complain about this postGood Luck Paul. Scotland ought to be in the world cup!
Complain about this postJust like to pass on my regards to Neil 'Lenny' Mccallum. He was a good friend during our university days. Wondering if he's given anyone the nike trainers he presented to me when we first met?! Good luck Lenny hope Brett Lee doesn't knock your head off.
Also good luck to the rest of the scottish boys. Im sure it will be a rough ride at the world cup but playing cricket in the caribbean against legends of the game sure beats 9-5 in the office.
All the best
Complain about this postWe've actually got India (tbc) here in Edinburgh in the summer.
Very best of luck to the team for the WCL.
Ireland and Scotland are so often in each others way and let's hope we can make a dream start and beat the Irish and go on to the final and all that comes with it.
Come on the lads
Complain about this postHi Paul, as a 17 year old who started to play cricket last year having seen the ashes - and surprised by the amount of clubs up here - I'd like to wish you all the best in Africa and also in the Caribbean.
The way England are going, you're looking more likely to beat Australia than the Auld Enemy! ;-)
Cheers, good luck and hopefully you can do Scotland proud!
Complain about this postGreat stuff Paul, with the increasing number of Irish playing in England at the highest level (and doing well) we have high hopes for some performances to remember in the coming couple of months to go with the impressive wins over Zimbabwae and Bangladesh as well as qualification for the big one. It feels like we are on the verge of being treated seriously as a one day team and if we could manage to get to the 20/20 we could have a lot of fun!
So all the best - we'll be willing you on!
SP
Complain about this posthello
Complain about this posthello our names are franzi and sarah and what's your name? we are searching informations about cricket...
Complain about this postWell done Paul for taking 3 wickets in the match against Ireland. It is great that Majid is being given the opportunity to play cricket for Scotland after being ignored for a long time. He has silenced the mouths of his critics and has shown what a great Scottish cricketer he is. His cousin Omer is also a great cricketer but has not been given the chance.
What do you think needs to be done to enhance the youth development of cricket in Scotland as the way thing are going right now with young players not being given a chance is not the way to go for youth development.
Complain about this postWell done Paul for taking 3 wickets in the match against Ireland. It is great that Majid is being given the opportunity to play cricket for Scotland after being ignored for a long time. He has silenced the mouths of his critics and has shown what a great Scottish cricketer he is. His cousin Omer is also a great cricketer but has not been given the chance.
What do you think needs to be done to enhance the youth development of cricket in Scotland as the way thing are going right now with young players not being given a chance is not the way to go for youth development.
Complain about this postWhat a win today! It looked like Scotland were down and out after the mandatory collapse but McCallum and Smith dug us out of that hole and fought for an absolutely unbelievable win.
That looked pretty special. Carry it on into the Canada game tomorrow. Well done.
Complain about this postEngland might as well have gone out there to play in this competition. What a load of rubbish they are.
Complain about this postSUPERB!
Unreal from 144-6 with a sky high run rate.
What a tonic for the remainder of the tourney.
Again though, do try and win a toss at some point.
It does help ;-)
BIG congrats lads. Don't celebrate with a dodgy meal btw
Complain about this postGreat win today lads.
Well played Floppy!!!
Keep it going against Canada tomorrow.
Complain about this postGreat result today, even exciting to follow it on the internet.
Wanted to congratulate all the guys on the performance, and my former coach for a brilliant hundred. Well played Macca.
Hope we can go on from here and put in a good set of performances from the world cup. Makes a change to see a British cricket team winning!
Complain about this postI like the guy commenting about the fact that Scotland have some non Scot nationals in their side. The likes of Hoffman and Watson have helped as they have allowed players to improve around them. Also Scotland lose players during the Summer to the Counties.
Quick question about Kevin Pieterson, Andrew Strauss, Gierant Jones and Ed Joyce, where abouts in England were they born?
Complain about this postWill Scotland become a Test playing nation any time soon? Or Ireland or Kenya? It certainly would shake things up as they nearly beat Pakistan in an ODI last summer and Ireland didn't disgrace themselves vs England in an ODI.
Complain about this postPaul - congrats on the first 2 wins - obviously tomorrow is huge with the difficult game vs the Dutch and the irish playing kenya - are you wishing for a kenya win there to make 2nd more achieveable? or do you wish the irish to win so that you can have a better crack at first place?
Second, tough luck losing Rogers to typhoid, is there a plan to bring in another player or are you going to stick with whats left in the squad?
Thirdly, how are you adapting to bowling on the placid wickets out there? Do you feel you are adjusting well to the conditions or do you feel there is more to come from you and your fellow bowlers?
And lastly, I hear you were a naughty lad yesterday, tacking the non striker down to the ground in your follow through - one description said that you "lowered your shoulder into him" - poor fellow.
So subsequently you were fined half your match fee!
Well, I think I speak for all Scottish cricket fans when I say, "YOU HAVE A MATCH FEE?"
Complain about this postCongratulations on being man of the match Paul. How the hell you guys managed to pull of a win in that match i'll never know.
My nerves are shredded from following the text commentary of the match.
Absolutely outstanding.
Complain about this postCongratulations on being man of the match Paul. How the hell you guys managed to pull of a win in that match i'll never know.
My nerves are shredded from following the text commentary of the match.
Absolutely outstanding.
Complain about this postFantastic win today Paul! Just for those who do not know, we were staring at certain defeat - Netherlands needing 3 to win off 4 balls with 3 wickets remaining. 3 balls and 3 wickets later - we are running off the field celebrating and I am screaming like a maniac at work in Chicago lol!
great last over Paul. Good luck in the next game
Complain about this postFantastic win today Paul! Just for those who do not know, we were staring at certain defeat - Netherlands needing 3 to win off 4 balls with 3 wickets remaining. 3 balls and 3 wickets later - we are running off the field celebrating and I am screaming like a maniac at work in Chicago lol!
great last over Paul. Good luck in the next game
Complain about this postGreat result today. Well done to Paul and the lads (what was that last over all about!?!). Been winding up my dutch brother in law no end since it finished.
By my reckoning, we only need to win one of the last two matches and we're through. Then we could look forward to 20/20 World Cup where anyone has a chance and we have some big hitters (Watson, Hoffmann) who, if they stay in long enough, could do some damage. But, I suppose, we musn't get ahead of ourselves.
Good luck against Kenya on Sunday
Complain about this postHi Willie
Complain about this postThe plan on these wickets is generally the same plan for every wicket. Aim for top of off stump. If batsmen want to play shots then try and mix up your length and pace. The wickets here do a bit early on but then they're very flat.
Omer Hussain has arrived in place of Glenn Rogers. It was a shame for Glenn, he was doing really well until he got sick. It's a good chance for Omer to do well if he gets the chance. He's a top young batsman.
I got into a bit of strife for the shoulder bump on the Canadian opening batsmen. Basically we were going to collide so I dropped my shoulder and unfortunately with me being a lot bigger than him, he went down pretty hard. I was worried about hin being seriously hurt, but he was ok and batted really well. My Dad has told me it's cricket not rugby league, so I will keep my shoulder to myself in future.
Well Ireland Have good Chance of Becoming Test Nation as they are performing well in InterContinental Cup the longer version tournament for Associates teams.They have won in 2006 and now look for Final in May Againts Canada.
Complain about this postBut Because of Bangladesh Poor Performances i don't think ICC will grant any nation test status.Good Associates will suffer beacuse of Bangladesh.