Skype to settle cricket match

Published on 21/08/2012 12:00

A CRICKET team from the Capital are claiming a world first after agreeing to settle a crucial match via the internet.

Grange and opponents Aberdeenshire came up with the novel plan after their Cricket Scotland Trophy semi-final was twice rained off.

Now on Thursday they will contest a bowl-out – cricket’s equivalent of football’s penalty shoot-out – with the teams 130 miles apart.

Grange will bowl at a set of stumps at their Portgower Place home, while Aberdeenshire will bowl at a set of stumps at their ground. The action will be beamed by video link on laptops at both venues.

Aberdeenshire’s Neil MacRae said: “Both sides can watch each other’s progress via Skype. I don’t think this has been done before but it makes perfect sense in the circumstances.”