Scots start with a workmanlike win

EUAN McINTYRE reports on the first warm-up match of Scotland's pre-WCQ tour.

Scotland’s preparations at the High Performance Centre at Pretoria University, which has been the base for their pre World Cup Qualifying training, moved today from the nets and gymnasiums to the middle for the first of three warm-up matches before the transfer to Johannesburg for the tournament itself.

The opposition, TUKS CC, was a University/Academy Select XI who, on losing the toss, were asked to bat first on a wicket that had been soaked by a deluge some three days previously.

However, the good weather in the intervening period, along with sterling work by the ground staff, meant the wicket - though tinged with green and surrounded by a dew-laden outfield - was surprisingly firm, with decent carry for the seam bowlers.

Dewald Nel and Gordon Goudie were entrusted with the new ball, Nel in particular extracting surprising life on occasion. But it was Goudie who claimed the first scalp when a top-edge flew to fine leg where, fittingly, Nel took a good running catch to his left.

After 10 overs, the score had reached 33 for one when a double bowling change, involving the entrance to the attack of Jan Stander and Calum MacLeod, reaped a harvest of wickets over the following five power-play overs. Four wickets fell for just eight runs in this period, with both bowlers claiming a brace apiece.

They bowled in ‘excellent areas’, as is the coaching parlance, demonstrated by an lbw and two wicket-keeping catches, during a spell that had the TUKS batsmen playing and missing with regularity.

Stander, clearly pumped up for his first outing in a Scotland shirt, and MacLeod, fresh from pre-season training with Warwickshire at Bloomfontaine, were the epitome of parsimony, as only meagre rations were offered to the batsmen.

With the score on 39 for five, there was every chance of an early closure to the innings. However, some dogged resistance meant that the sixth wicket produced a stand of 76, only broken by the introduction of Majid Haq, who took a smart caught-and-bowled chance to dismiss the elegant Booysen for 39.

Moneeb Iqbal, who had previously entered the fray, now saw his hard work rewarded with a wicket, courtesy of Haq’s catch, and completed his 10-over spell with figures of 1-41.

With TUKS now taking their five-over power play, Haq was removed from the attack and Stander and MacLeod returned to reprise their earlier wicket-taking roles. Stander took his third wicket, while he and MacLeod combined to run out another.

At 144 for nine, the end of the innings was nigh, but not before a blitz of boundaries raised the score to 170 when Haq, who had returned to the attack, dismissed the dangerous Pretorious, caught by Iqbal for a well-deserved 38.

It had been an impressive bowling display by the Scots and, while one or two matters would need to be addressed, both with the ball and in the field, it was an encouraging start to the playing aspects of the squad’s preparations.

In reply, Scotland got off to a brisk start, with Ryan Watson square-cutting Pretorious for consecutive fours in the third over of the day.

Qasim Sheikh, who the previous day has been hit a very painful blow on the foot and was doubtful for the match, was caught behind for 4 with the score on 17, off the bowling of the aforesaid Pretorious.

This brought Kyle Coetzer to the crease to join Watson. The pair played extremely well, with both players dealing severely with any short-pitched bowling.

The partnership effectively won the match for the Scots, as it had reached 97 before Coetzer mistimed a pull shot to be caught at mid-wicket for 31. However, he had shown during his innings what a quality player he is.

Colin Smith joined Watson and the pair added 44 for the third wicket, leaving just 30 for victory, when Watson was bowled trying to hit through mid-wicket.

His 73 came off 79 balls, with a six and six fours... an extremely good innings full of intent and clean ball-striking.

Neil McCallum’s innings only lasted six balls before he was cruelly run out at the non-striker’s end, for 1, when the bowler deflected a fiercely-driven ball by Smith onto his stumps.

This allowed Moneeb Iqbal to join Smith for the last rites, which the latter performed with a four and two sixes, allowing the tourists to reach their target of 171 in just 31.5 overs.

The Scotland wicketkeeper finished on 49*, which included these two sixes along with 4 fours, in an impressive display of punishing hitting, while Iqbal remained 6*.

It had been a clinical, well-executed run chase leaving the Scots in good fettle after this, their first match since the encounter with England in August last year at the Citylets Grange.

TUKS Academy XI 170 all out (Nel 8-2-20-0; Goudie 5-1-17-1; MacLeod 9-1-33-2; Stander 9-0-40-3; Iqbal 10-0-41-1; Haq 4.4-0-17-2); Scotland 172 for four (Watson 73, Smith 49*, Coetzer 31)

[Full Scorecard]