After registering his third One Day International century to carry his side towards a second comprehensive victory over the United Arab Emirates in three days Calum MacLeod suggested that Scotland are beginning to make the wider cricket world take notice.
The 27-year-old from Stepps looked untroubled during a Scottish third wicket record stand of 165 with his captain Preston Mommsen before being surprised by a leg stump yorker from Mohammed Naveed Yorker with victory in sight and he subsequently expressed satisfaction with the way the team had performed in climbing to second spot in the World Cricket League, a point behind leaders Holland, not least because it has been a deeply frustrating, weather affected season for the international team.
“It’s been an excellent three days, an excellent two games. We set out to play some good cricket and stamp a mark on associate cricket and I think we’re slowly doing that,” he reckoned.
“If you ask for more cricket you have to prove that the cricket you’re getting you’re playing well enough to deserve it. I think maybe in the past we’ve been guilty of not doing that, but certainly in the last 18 months to two years we’ve really kicked on and started to show what this Scotland side’s about. I think it’s maturing into a very, very good side.”
Mommsen followed up on a century of his own in the teams’ first meeting on Sunday when Kyle Coetzer had also passed three figures, to finish on 80 not out in seeing his side home by a seven wicket margin.
Once again they had the better of things in every department Chris Sole, the son of Scotland Grand Slam captain David, marking his debut by matching Safyaan Sharif in taking three wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 228, but as MacLeod rightly pointed out the quality of the Scots’ fielding, the highlight of which was Richie Berrington’s stunning catch to dismiss Amjad Javed, the UAE captain off the first ball he faced from Con de Lange, diving to clutch, one-handed, the powerfully struck ball millimetres off the turf.
“The last two games that’s possibly been one of the major differences. Richie’s catch today was world class, Safy’s catch and Kyle’s catch on the boundary are the sort of moments that do change games,” he observed.
“The bowlers created those chances, but then we’ve taken them and then the batting, it’s just nice to put your hand up when you get in.”
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