Keith Graham: Wester Warriors start as favourites
Keith Graham watched the first of the new Regional Series games last week at Lochside Park, Forfar. Now he previews the second game, to be played at Myreside on Sunday (April 25)...
This is a time of transition in the Saltires’ set-up as several of the old guard prepare to step aside. Now is the time for the young guns to step up to the plate and show the national selectors what they are made of.
And what better way to examine some of those young guns than through the new regional competition, albeit that - typically - during one of the driest April spells for many years, rain intervened to cause the first game between Caledonian Highlanders and Eastern Knights at Strathmore to be abandoned.
Despite that lack of conclusion, a couple of revelations emerged. Fraser Watts, a well-established presence in the national side for some time now, showed that he has some impressive early season form at his disposal with a hard hit innings of 66. More significantly perhaps, newcomer Preston Mommsen impressed with a distinctly well-constructed half century. He also held on to an excellent catch.
Mommsen, probably unknown to most, was born and raised in South Africa - as good a cricketing academy as there is – but then arrived at Gordonstoun on a pupil exchange. He so liked Scotland that he has stayed on and now qualifies to play for his adopted country. He looked very solid and compact, with a good range of strokes on both sides of the wicket and I am sure the selectors will want to take another close look at him on Sunday (April 25) when Eastern Knights are in action at Myreside, this time against Western Warriors.
With due respect to the Caledonian Highlanders - who last week showed an element of inexperience, I thought - the Warriors are likely to pose rather more of a challenge to the Knights. Led by Qasim Sheikh, who is determined to make this new competition a serious platform for would-be internationalists, the Warriors will approach this game with real zest and, dare I say it, professionalism.
The Highlanders youngsters perhaps need another season, although there is real talent in the likes of Mathew Parker and Marc Petrie, whereas the Knights and the Warriors have that little bit of an edge. Indeed the Knights will, I think, find themselves stretched on Sunday. In Sheikh, Haq, Berrington, Iqbal, Lockhart and Hussein, to name the most prominent members of a good-looking squad, the Warriors possess players who have already established themselves as leading claimants for regular places at the highest level.
The selectors will also be keen to see just how the Edinburgh-born Yorkshireman Neil Laidlaw shapes up. Scotland’s pace bowling ranks are not exactly brimming over at this time and Laidlaw, recommended by Jim Love, if he performs well could be a contender. I expect the Warriors to start as favourites, especially as enforced call-offs have also left the Knights' bowling resources looking a tad thin. Rav Routray, originally in the Warriors squad has now been 'loaned' permanently to the Knights.
Sunday’s game is likely to be very keenly contested and hopefully it will provide the kind of higher-altitude cricket that all aspiring internationalists need. If it does, then it will immediately have justified its creation.
