Scotland genuinely believes they can go one further in the three-match ODI series in Edinburgh after pushing Australia hard at the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where a win would have eliminated England.
Australia needed 87 off 39 deliveries after Brandon McMullen scored 60 off 34 balls, and there was a real prospect of an upset when Marcus Stoinis took the game away from them. When the game was called off against England, they were down 90 for 0, and there was a painful difference between making it to the Super Eight and losing.
With three home games in four days against an Australia team that includes some less experienced players, Scotland has an opportunity to win their first ever match against them, and they’re not just looking for a single triumph.
“I think we’re after a little bit of blood this week, and not just win a game but win the series”, left-arm spinner Mark Watt told the Cricket Scotland website. “We can definitely take inspiration from that game in St Lucia, but we also have a little bit of a point to prove, as we all believe we should have won that game and kicked on further in the World Cup. We can say we got close, but actually in the back of our heads we’re disappointed that we didn’t win.”
The roster for this series includes all 15 players that competed in the T20 World Cup; however, speed bowler Charlie Cassell, who made his ODI debut with the greatest figures ever (7 for 21 against Oman), will be a fresh face for the Australians.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to share the field with world-class players,” Scotland head coach Doug Watson said when the squad was announced. “They’re wanting to put in some huge performances and compete, and really push this Australia team. The goal for us is to win this series. The first game is really important – if we can win that, it’ll set up the next two matches.”
Scotland has benefited from Ireland’s inability to host Australia as planned because of budgetary limitations. When Australia and Pakistan last faced off bilaterally in 2013, Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh put up a 246-run first-wicket stand. Richie Berrington, the current captain, played for Scotland.
Scotland’s historic day in 2018 came when they defeated England by six runs in Edinburgh, but they are in desperate need of more chances to play the world’s best teams outside of international competitions.
“It is frustrating we don’t get the opportunities to play the big boys, so to speak, ” Michael Leask told BBC Scotland. “Even the likes of Bangladesh and West Indies, we don’t get opportunities to play against them. And we would take any opportunity, because the more high quality cricket we get, the better we get.