cricket

A new-look Scottish Cup opens the domestic season this afternoon, writes William Dick. Purists may be caught out by prompt noon starts and could choke on their G&Ts at the sight of players doing battle in coloured kit and with a pink ball, but administrators have decreed that the premier knockout tournament needed some "jazzing-up".

In an acknowledgment of the past, though, it reverts to a group format with sides playing home and away during the first three Saturdays of the season and again when it resumes in mid-season. The eight group winners will proceed to knockout stages, with the final at Titwood, Glasgow, on Sunday September 2.

Andy Tennant, whose Future Structures Group had a busy winter during which league reconstruction was also agreed, said: "We felt that the Scottish Cup needed to be reinvigorated; for some teams it was all over after just one game. Going back to groups will ensure every team six games and increase the chances of a few shock results along the way. Moving it to Saturdays gives the cup its proper place just like it has in football." The introduction of coloured kit is optional this season but will be mandatory from next year and Tennant said: "Some people won't like it – there are always those who resist change – but we believe that jazzing it up will make the Scottish Cup a more attractive product."

Among several attractive ties on the card is the meeting of the holders Uddingston and newcomers Fauldhouse Victoria at Bothwell Castle Policies. The Lanarkshire club, aiming for a hat-trick of titles, will be captained for the first time by Saltires star Calum MacLeod and start strong favourites against a team who earned promotion from the East League last season.

A new era is heralded in both camps in the meeting of Clydesdale (now PSL Team Sports Clydesdale; they have a new sponsorship deal with the company run by their former opening batsman Rennie Keith) and SMRH at Titwood.

Clydesdale have a new captain for the season in Zeeshan Bashir while today's opponents have also rung the changes particularly with the arrival of Cedric English from Carlton. The former Scotland batsman has taken a key role as player-coach at the Inverleith club and his involvement is sure to boost SMRH's prospects.

While English was a record run scorer at Carlton, his loss may not be too keenly felt by the Grange Loan club who have recruited shrewdly. They entertain Poloc and give competitive debuts to Toby Bailey, the former Northamptonshire wicketkeeper/batsman, Umair Mohammed the all-rounder who has joined from Forfarshire, and the former Drumpellier left-arm pace bowler John Hutton. Poloc boast a side with eight players who have come through the youth ranks but have lost the Chaudhry brothers, Bilal and Danial, who have moved south of the border.

In the same group, Falkland may fancy their chances of creating an upset at home to a Greenock side who are still rebuilding.

Freuchie face a tricky trip to Ayr while Forfarshire, skippered by Craig Wallace, entertain Stenhousemuir. McCrea FS West of Scotland, with former Scotland World Cup bowler John Blain at the helm as player-coach, start favourites at home to Corstorphine. Kelburne have three new faces in their ranks for the visit of one of the tournament favourites Aberdeenshire.