Cricket: Scotland v England clash live on TV

Scotlands Matt Machan is hoping for a big year at Sussex. Picture: SNS

The eagerly-anticipated sell-out fixture at Aberdeenshire’s Mannofield will see the Scots go for their first ever victory against a Test-playing country in an official ODI.

England, meanwhile, will be bidding to bounce back from the shock drubbing they received at the hands of Holland in their final T20 World Cup game.

Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, declared: “It’s going to be a fantastic occasion on 9 May, and we are delighted to be welcoming the Sky team to Aberdeenshire Cricket Club.

“With Scotland eager to build on their successful World Cup qualifying campaign in New Zealand earlier in the year, this marquee fixture provides the team with an ideal opportunity to challenge for their first One Day International victory over a full member live on TV.”

Meanwhile, Matt Machan is determined to ensure that his winter exploits with Scotland help make 2014 his first-class breakthrough – before returning Down Under to shine at the World Cup.

Machan made his first-class debut back in 2010 but last summer was the first time he had featured more than once over a season in the LV= County Championship for county outfit Sussex.

The 23-year-old left-hander, who qualifies for Scotland through his Glasgow-born mother, played six first-class innings for Sussex last term, hitting a century against Somerset and averaging 41.80.

He also turned out for Scotland against Australia A before travelling to New Zealand at the turn of the year for the final qualifying tournament for the 2015 50-over World Cup.

Machan scored 260 runs as Scotland won six out of seven matches to reach the final and secure a place at the World Cup before beating UAE to win the tournament outright. He then returned to Sussex to make 119 and 48 in a warm-up game against Loughborough MCCU and won’t settle for anything but carrying his form into the new season and next year.

“If I can settle into the four-day side that would be very nice,” said Machan, who made his Scotland debut in March of last year.

“To get a hundred in the early season is always nice and hopefully it can hold me in good stead for the rest of the season and especially the next month or so. I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot with Scotland this winter so it doesn’t really feel like I’ve stopped over the past 12 months.

“I think my experience with Scotland will help me to a certain extent in the County Championship. Last year I played against teams such as Australia and Pakistan so it gives you a taste of what the top international guys can do. I think this has kicked both my four-day and one-day games on too.”

Machan is one of Scotland’s key players in the shorter forms of the games – averaging 69.00 from six Twenty20s and 35.63 from 11 ODI innings.

However, he admits his four-day game needs to improve if he is to cement his place at Sussex, who are not short of players pushing their own international agendas. “The 2015 World Cup is obviously massive for everyone involved. Hopefully, I can have a good season with Sussex and put some really strong performances in before building up to that,” added Machan.

“I think my one-day cricket is pretty reasonable at the moment but my four-day game has probably been my weakest suit over the past couple of years. I’ve made a big push on that over the winter and hopefully I can get my average up towards 40 by the end of the year.

“I’m a big believer that you are your biggest coach, so I know what I want to get out of my game and the people I have spoken to have guided me in the right direction.”

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