Scots call up Iqbal to face India

SCOTLAND coach Pete Steindl believes India's second string side will prove as hot a handful as short-game world champions England.

It is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire as Steindl's men go into battle against the sub-continent's star-studded A-team today in the first of two challenge matches.

And the coach has warned them they will be up against a side packed with talent in every department at Citylets Titwood.

He said: "Our guys should not be expecting a drop in standard from what they experienced when they faced England at the weekend.

"The Indians have a very powerful squad who have been producing impressive performances on tour.

"But this is the level of opposition we want to be squaring up to as often as possible because it is the best way for our lads to improve."

Steindl last night summoned West of Scotland spinner Moneeb Iqbal to his squad after Majid Haq pulled out with a muscle strain. The coach also revealed that seamer Gordon Goudie will only figure in one of the matches, the other of which is on Friday at the same Glasgow venue. He explained: "Gordon has just returned to fitness and the priority is to manage him properly. We want him to be in good nick for next week's World Cricket League series in the Netherlands. It could be the case that we will bring in another bowler for the Friday game."

Both matches will start with a jump by the Golden Lions parachute team as part of an Army recruitment drive.

Scotland: G Drummond (capt), R Berrington, E Chalmers, R Flannigan, G Goudie, M Iqbal, O Hairs, D Lockhart, R Lyons, N McCallum, M Parker, F Watts.

India A (from): C Pujara (capt), W Saha, A Mukund, S Dhawan, A Rahane, M Pandey, S Tiwary, I Abdulla, S Tyagi, D Kulkarni, A Mithun, K Jadhav, M Tiwary, J Singh, B Sharma, J Unadkad.