Cricket: No need to Drumm up support for new skipper

Published on Monday 21 June 2010 10:57

SALTIRES batsman Neil McCallum has backed Gordon Drummond to make of a success of the Scotland cricket captaincy inherited from Gavin Hamilton going into this week's one-day matches against India A in Glasgow on Wednesday and Friday.

Hamilton resigned the post following Saturday's seven-wicket defeat by England at citylets Grange but will continue to be available for the side, work commitments permitting.

With vice-captain Drummond immediately invited to take the helm, McCallum, from Edinburgh, said: "Hammy told me when I was rooming with him (for the England match) that he was standing down and we needed someone like him to take things on when he did.

"Gordon does things his own way. He wears his heart on his sleeve and enjoys his cricket. He is not outspoken or loud, just gets on with the job. He speaks to guys when he needs to and we are all behind him."

The pair were colleagues for a spell at Watsonians before each moved across the Capital at different stages of their careers in the case of McCallum to Grange and Drummond to Carlton.

On Saturday they came together again at international level and, while the match may have been over early with England knocking off a victory target of 211 with more than 16 overs to spare, an element of home cricketing history was made.

In 15 one day internationals with Test playing nations 211 represented Scotland's highest total.

It compared favourably with, in a run going back to the 1999 World Cup, efforts against: Australia (181-7), Pakistan (167), Bangladesh (163), West Indies (68), New Zealand (121), Pakistan (203-8, Bangladesh (153), Bangladesh (132), Australia (131-9), South Africa (186-8), West Indies (152-7), New Zealand (101), England (156-9), and Australia (156-9).

While some might have taken solace from such a statistic it is, surely, to McCallum and the Saltires' credit that the mood in the camp was one of "must do better".

McCallum, who was out for 22 after hitting the only six of the Scottish innings straight back over Michael Yardy's head, said: "Our 211 should have been 250 of 260."

Within that total there were successes such as Kyle Coetzer's 51, Gavin Hamilton's 48 and Dougie Lockhart's 46.

But Watson's College PE teacher McCallum insisted: "I hold my hand up for the shot I got out to. I was going for another six and, if the ball had been a foot higher, I wouldn't have been caught on the boundary.

"With hindsight I should have taken a single and tried to be out there around 42-43 over mark with Dougie Lockhart so that, with England on the back foot at that stage, a 250 total ought to have been a stroll for us.

"It would also have taken, say, Kyle to go out and get 70 but, just as has happened all season, we lost key wickets."

Such an attitude was reflected in the comments of Hamilton when he summed up what was his 125th Scotland appearance, by saying: "There were nice signs but, to be honest, it's getting a bit boring saying that. We're a better team than that and we probably let ourselves down again."

The comments of both batsmen oozed determination rather than self-pity and, to be fair, there were positive signs.

In particular Majid Haq bowled superbly for his 2-35 off 10 overs – including the wicket of England skipper Andrew Strauss, who was caught by McCallum.

McCallum added: "It was good to play a part in that dismissal and we were certainly aware of being up against top opposition.

"Ross Lyons, too, bowled well but so did the England spinners with both Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy putting the squeeze on us."

In fact, the turning point came when, after Hamilton and Coetzer, had taken the score to 87-2 by the 19th over, Strauss turned to his tweakers.

"They got through their overs quickly and the game just seemed to run away from us," admitted McCallum, who expects to be available for the rest of the intensive summer programme which also includes ODI's against Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

"We definitely learned from that experience and there is momentum going forward," he said.

Overall, Scotland were exposed for playing the occasional indecisive or rash shot with fatal consequences while, at this level, any loose delivery is clinically punished.

The major lesson was that Scotland need to need to find a penetrative strike bowler, because the medium-paced opening attack appeared hugely under-powered.

That, more than anything, allowed England's batsmen to establish an early command they were never likely to relinquish, despite the best efforts of Haq and to a lesser extent, Lyons.

Scottish disappointment must be tinged with realism that they at least did well enough justify the declaration of intent that came with winning the toss and batting first.

What might have been, though – and not only if Hamilton and Coetzer had stayed together longer.

The mother of England top scorer Craig Kieswetter (69) hails from Edinburgh, albeit the auld enemy got in first to claim the Johannesburg-born star.

He said: "Scotland will be disappointed but my mum will be chuffed for me and I was pleased my grandparents made it along to the game."