Warwickshire Bears v Scottish Saltires: 3 May 2009
GAVIN Hamilton may have failed to inspire the Saltires to victory over Warwickshire yesterday but the new captain believes the future is bright for the national side.
In addition to scoring a half century and presiding over an excellent performance in the field, Hamilton also talked a good game in the wake of this seven-wicket FP Trophy reverse at Edgbaston.
He said: "We had a huge team talk last night to set some ground rules and we need to be progressing every single game. As far as I'm concerned that's comfortably one of, if not the best fielding performances I've ever been involved with.
"In terms of the bowling, I can count on one hand how many bad balls we bowled. Yes, they got off to a flier, but I've seen Neil Carter take more experienced bowling attacks than ours apart.
"I thought we held ourselves together, the body language was good and everything about today in terms of bowling and fielding was absolutely outstanding. If we do that every game we are not going to be far off.
"However, even Hamilton was unable to apply much positive spin to another substandard batting display which saw the Saltires bowled out for just 182.
He added: "We still have a long way to go with the batting and that will be addressed. The way I got out was absolutely ridiculous after reaching a half-century but these things can happen when you try to be positive.
"It doesn't matter who you are playing, we're not going to let sides bowl at us and the thinking behind the shot I played was to keep the momentum going. Looking back I probably wouldn't have done it again."
Hamilton certainly led by example from the moment he got off the mark with the first delivery of his side's innings. He went on to reach his 50 from 72 balls with eight boundaries only to perish shortly after when, in trying to increase the rate, he succeeded only in skying a return catch to Jeetan Patel.
Cameron Borgas, the Australian professional, matched Hamilton by marking his debut with a composed half century which included a six and five boundaries. He reached 59 and looked set to open out when he was well caught by young Scot Calum MacLeod off Barker.
However, the Saltires batsmen had little else to offer with further disappointment for Ryan Watson. Supporters had hoped that Watson's decision to resign the captaincy would lead to an immediate return to form. Instead, the Forfarshire batsman had managed just a couple of singles when he was trapped in front by Boyd Rankin.
Scotland's 182 always looked woefully short and – despite the spirited show to which Hamilton referred – so it proved, Carter's violent onslaught quickly putting the issue beyond doubt. Carter bludgeoned 65 from only 38 balls with eight boundaries and four towering sixes.
His blitz was cruel on Arbroath youngster Matthew Parker who was removed from the attack after just two overs but none of the Scottish bowlers were spared.Carter was eventually brilliantly caught in the deep by Neil McCallum, giving a second success to Sean Weeraratna who had earlier removed Jon Trott for 33.
Ian Westwood was run out cheaply as the Saltires stuck to their task while Parker returned with a morale-boosting second spell but England batsman Ian Bell's run-a-ball half century guided the county home with more than 19 overs in hand.
Hamilton added: "We've got a really strong team ethos now and we're going to live and die by it."
Willie Dick, Cricket Media Scotland
