Scotland’s best young male cricketers are getting ready to head to the World Cup in South Africa next month, but how did the age-grade side get on in their last appearance at the showpiece event in 2016?
The Scots were placed in Pool A with hosts Bangladesh, the West Indies and Namibia and took on the latter first at the end of January.
At the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar Scotland won the toss and elected to bat, but things did not quite go to plan.
In the 50-overs-a-side clash they were bowled out for 159 in the 37th over, Owais Shah top scoring with 39 and Harris Aslam digging in for 31.
Aslam took a wicket in Namibia’s reply, but 67 not out from SJ Loftie-Eaton saw them home by nine wickets.
At the same ground a few days later the Scots bowled first against Bangladesh.
Mohammad Ghaffar, the opening bowler, was on fine form and took 4-60.
Ryan Brown and Mitchell Rao both took scalps too, however, a superb 113 not out from Najmul Hossain Shanto saw the hosts to 256-6 from their 50 overs.
Captain Neil Flack made 28 and middle order batsman Azeem Dar top scored with 50 before the Scots were bowled out for 142 to lose by 114 runs.
In the third and final pool match at the Academy ground of the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in early February, the Scots were put into bat against South Africa.
Harris Carnegie dug in for 29 and Fin McCreath made 24 as they posted 127 all out.
South Africa then won by 10 wickets, reaching 129-0, to leave Scotland facing a ninth place quarter-final against New Zealand.
Shah made 32, Jack Waller 24, Ryan Brown 23 and Aslam 21 not out in Scotland’s 181 all out batting first.
Aslam took two wickets in the Kiwis’ reply with Rao also taking a scalp, but 89 from Glenn Phillips saw New Zealand home by seven wickets.
Next up was a 13th place semi-final against Fiji and Scotland turned on the style batting first.
Shah’s 39 and 20 from Ben Wilkinson good things off to a solid start and then McCreath made 60, Aslam 25 and Brown 22 as they made 225 all out.
Peni Vuniwaqa top scored with 80 in reply for Fiji, but Cameron Sloman got his wicket caught by Flack.
Sloman ended up with 3-30, McCreath took 3-48 and Aslam, Brown and Rao were also amongst the wickets as Fiji were 149 all out.
After that 76 run win, the Scots were up against Ireland in the 13th place final.
The Irish posted 235-7 batting first with Ghaffar taking three wickets for the Scots to round off a good tournament for him.
No Scots batsman could get over 19 in reply – Flack and Rory Johnston top scoring on that total – and 140 all out gave Ireland the win by 95 runs.
The West Indies won the overall event with a victory over India in the final.
The Scots missed out on the event in 2018 in New Zealand, but under the guidance of Cedric English and Gordon Drummond are looking to make their mark on the big stage in 2020.
