Cricket Scotland make record profit

CRICKET Scotland last night announced record profits –five years after almost going out of business.

Chief executive Roddy Smith welcomed a pre-tax surplus of 135,000 in the governing body's annual report but warned tougher times lie ahead.

The surplus equates almost exactly to the windfall the Saltires received for qualifying for last year's T20 World Cup. But they failed to reach this year's global event to be staged in the West Indies next month.

The governing body has also still to find a replacement title sponsor after Lloyds TSB Scotland pulled out in December. Smith said: "We are delighted with this set of figures especially when you consider that we had a negative reserve position five years ago and were basically a stone's throw from going bust.

"What these figures do is give us a bit of breathing space as we know we are unlikely to repeat them in 2010 or 2011."

The governing body donated 35,000 to the Cricket Scotland Development Trust for its work in supporting member clubs while the accounts show a 23 per cent increase in turnover to 1.88 million. As a result, the organisation's reserves were boosted to 164,000 compared to a negative reserve position at the end of 2005.