Cricket: Hamilton says Saltires are by no means all washed up

Published on Tuesday 5 May 2009 09:52

SALTIRES captain Gavin Hamilton insists his side have every reason to hold their heads high after coming within a whisker of a morale-boosting win against Kent in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Hamilton – appointed as the skipper last week – continued to thrive under the responsibility with a classy 75 runs following on from his half-century against Warwickshire on Sunday.

Australian Cameron Borgas also hit two sixes in his quickfire 65 to set the Spitfires a total of 228, but the weather intervened at Canterbury meaning the home side required 206 off 44 overs.

Despite a purple patch when the Scottish bowlers, led by Ryan Watson's deceptive spin, took five wickets for 52 runs, highly-rated opener Joe Denly's unbeaten 97 steered Kent home with ten balls remaining.

And Hamilton insists Scotland can continue to use their underdog status to their advantage after once again going toe to toe with one of the giants of English cricket. "We have to take heart from this and use it going forward. Scotland have had some great victories in the past and we all want to get back there.

"We beat a full strength Lancashire team last year and came close again so we know it is in there, we just have to find the performances consistently to make sure it happens.

"If everyone performs on their day then we can really compete with the counties."

Hamilton's timely return to top form, despite the dire run of results for his team that saw the end of Watson's two-year reign, continued on a superb St Lawrence Ground wicket. After losing fellow opener Moneeb Iqbal for five he added 55 for the second wicket with Watson, who showed glimpses of a return to form with 24, before Borgas joined him to quicken the tempo.

The pair added 84 in 17 overs for the third wicket but once Hamilton fell to the pace of Robbie Joseph there was little else. Joseph also accounted for Jan Stander and Neil McCallum in quick succession while Borgas fell to Steffan Jones and only Simon Smith's run-a-ball 23 got the Scots to their season's best total of 227, which was still 20-30 runs below par.

The home side looked to be making short work of Scotland's total with openers Rob Key and Denly comfortably putting on 70 for the first wicket. Stander made the breakthrough when he removed England Lions skipper Key (27) before the heavens opened leaving Kent with a revised target to chase down.

Just six overs after the resumption Martin van Jaarsveld, who had look well set on 37, holed out to Iqbal at deep mid-wicket and from looking in control the hosts began to wobble. Watson took a sharp caught-and-bowled to send Darren Stevens on his way for 14, Smith stumped James Hockley for a duck and Azhar Mahmood (1) played onto his own wicket.

Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones then nicked one behind but Denly together with Simon Cook (12 not out) saw Kent over the finishing line to win by four wickets.

It was a huge leap in the right direction for the Saltires after but Hamilton knows his side will have to move up a couple of gears if they are to return to winning ways.

Saltires 227-6 lost to Kent 206-6 by four wickets (D/L method)