Scotland vs Afghanistan 2-match ODI series Discussion Thread

[MenInG]

A 14-strong squad has been selected for Scotland’s two-match One-Day International series against Afghanistan to be played at The Grange, Edinburgh.

Ten of the squad featured in Scotland’s first ever tour to Oman in February 2019 in which Scotland won the quadrangular T20 series against Ireland, Netherlands and Oman. Scotland went on to record a 2-1 victory over the latter in a three-game 50-over series on the same tour.

Shane Burger, National Head Coach, commented: “We are excited to bring our white-ball game back to Edinburgh for the first time since June 2018. The squad is raring to go having wintered well and recorded series wins in Oman against quality opposition.

“We certainly go into the series with a lot of confidence and we are ready to face the challenge of a strong Afghanistan unit. We feel we are covered in all departments and fans can expect a positive brand of cricket from the team ahead of an important year of cricket.

“The inclusion of Tom Sole (Northamptonshire), Brad Wheal (Hampshire), Gavin Main (Durham) and Michael Jones (Durham) add to the skillsets we require and fall into the bracket of the brand of cricket we want to play. We are excited to bring them onboard for the series.

“We unfortunately lose a couple of players from the Oman tour due to injury, but feel we bring a strong squad to The Grange on 8thand 10thMay.”

SQUAD

Kyle Coetzer (captain), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross, Alasdair Evans, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Tom Sole, Craig Wallace, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal

Stu Whittingham, Adrian Neill and Ruaidhri Smith are excluded due to injury.

Scotland will face Afghanistan in two One-Day Internationals at The Grange, Edinburgh on 8thMay and 10thMay.

http://www.cricketscotland.com/scotland-squad-announced-for-afghanistan-series/

 

[MenInG]

Afghanistan will be keen to find their feet under Gulbadin Naib, and use the one-day internationals against Scotland to get used to conditions they can expect in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.

Overview

Scotland v Afghanistan
1st ODI
The Grange, Edinburgh
Wednesday, 8 May; 11:00am local, 10:00am GMT

Afghanistan's World Cup preparation got a bit of a shake-up when the selectors decided to go with a leadership change ahead of the marquee tournament. The team, under Gulbadin Naib, had some time to come together in training camps in South Africa, and now their work will be put to the test against Scotland in a two-match ODI series.

Their next challenge will be to quickly get used to the conditions. Their spinners won't find much assistance from them, and with games against Ireland to follow before the World Cup, it will be a test for them to find a workaround.

Scotland are playing their first ODI since June 2018. Afghanistan's higher ranking – No.7 on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings as against their own No.12 – will only drive them, as it did when they took on, and defeated, No.1-ranked England last summer.

The uncapped medium-pacer Gavin Main has received a call-up, while off-spinner Tom Sole and pacer Brad Wheal have come in to strengthen the bowling. They too have a new man in charge: this will be the first international assignment for new head coach Shane Burger.

Players to watch

Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan): The former captain is set to play his 100th ODI, and will become only the second man from his country, after Mohammad Nabi, to reach the landmark. The selectors have clarified that despite being stripped of the captaincy, Afghan is still a vital part of the side. With half-centuries in his three previous ODI innings, against Ireland, he will create an Afghanistan record if he can add one more to that tally.

Kyle Coetzer (Scotland): The Scotland captain has defined the positive, aggressive style of cricket that his team is keen to play. Having upset England last year and won the T20 quadrangular in Oman, he'll want the team to take another step forward. This will also be an opportunity to rectify his own numbers, which have been up and down in recent times.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1211924

 

[TalhaSyed]

Was hoping to go to the game on Friday but it's looking unlikely due to other commitments.

Wishing Scotland all the best and hoping they can show - once again - why they deserved to be in the world cup!

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Most of the teams are playing series to adjust in these conditions before the world cup but we are busy playing on roads. If we don't win this world cup guys like Ravi Shastri will come out in front of media and will cry about the lack of match practice in English conditions.

 

[PakLFC]

It will rain all day. Better to write this one off.

 

[MenInG]

Match abandoned without a ball bowled (no toss)

 

[MenInG]

After the washout in the first one-day international, Afghanistan will hope for better luck with the weather as they take on Scotland in the second and final ODI in Edinburgh on Friday, 10 May.

Overview

Scotland v Afghanistan
2nd ODI
The Grange, Edinburgh
Friday, 10 May; 11:00am local, 10:00am GMT

Afghanistan would have liked all the practice they could have had in lead up to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 – only their second appearance at the mega event. However, the wash out in the first ODI means they now have just three full ODIs before the tournament begins.

The forecast for Friday doesn't look too promising, though, and the best they can hope for is that the rain stays away long enough for a shortened match.

Weather aside, the contest itself promises a lot. Scotland may not have played an ODI since June last year, but in that game, they defeated the top-ranked England on this very ground. The Scots don't have too impressive a head-to-head against Afghanistan – four wins to their seven – but this is a chance to bridge that gap as well.

It is in Afghanistan's best interest that Scotland produce their A-game too. The World Cup is going to throw up challenging opponents one after another, and they will want a bit of a workout. Gulbadin Naib, the new captain, who replaced Asghar Afghan only months before the World Cup, will want to put his leadership to the test too.

Key players

Safyaan Sharif (Scotland): Given the conditions, it is safe to assume that the ball is going to seam around a touch, and when that happens, Sharif can be lethal. In the last two years, he has comfortably been Scotland's most prolific quick with 28 wickets against his name at 21.96. He will look to add to that dominance.

Hamid Hassan (Afghanistan): Sporting a head-band and face-paint, Hassan was one of Afghanistan's most conspicuous players in the 2015 World Cup. But his appeal wasn't just cosmetic – he was his team's second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. He also played a key role with ball and bat to secure his team their maiden World Cup win ... against Scotland. Returning to the national team after nearly three years, Hassan will want to make an impact against the Scots once more. His style of bowling should benefit from overcast conditions.


Conditions

Typically Scottish – cloudy and cold with a fairly high chance of rain. The pitch at The Grange tends to be weather dependent, and with generous cloud cover set to be the theme, expect the seamers to be in play.

Squads

Scotland: Kyle Coetzer (c), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross (wk), Alasdair Evans, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Tom Sole, Craig Wallace, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal

Afghanistan: Gulbadin Naib (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1213163

 

[Mp812]

Most of the teams are playing series to adjust in these conditions before the world cup but we are busy playing on roads. If we don't win this world cup guys like Ravi Shastri will come out in front of media and will cry about the lack of match practice in English conditions.

The only experience these teams seem to getting right now is how rain stops or prevents play.

 

[MenInG]

So cricket at last in Scotland!

===

Scotland won the toss and opt to bat

Afghanistan: Shahzad, Zazai, Naib, Asghar, Najibullah, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah, Dawlat, Aftab Alam, Sharafuddin, Hamid Hassan.

Scotland: Coetzer, Cross, MacLeod, Berrington, Munsey, Wallace, Sole, Sharif, Watt, Evans, Wheal. So Leask is out for Sole.

 

[MenInG]

Scotland - 45/0 11.5/50 ov CRR: 3.80

 

[MenInG]

Sco 166/2 (33.0) crr: 5.03

 

[MenInG]

 

[MMHS]

Both Scotland & Ireland should have played in this WC - feel really sorry for guys like Macleod & Coetzer. Without Rashid, Afghan's attack will suffer anywhere, and I believe both IRL & SCT has better batting line up than AFGs. .

 

[The Viper]

Hamid Hassan returned. He was one of their best players before Rashid etc emerged. Afghanistan lack in pace department so his return is a boost.

 

[The Viper]

Scotland 325/7

Afghanistan 269/3

Afganistan win by 2 runs by D/L method.

 

[aloo paratha]

Damn Scotland have some bad luck.

 

[aloo paratha]

Both Scotland & Ireland should have played in this WC - feel really sorry for guys like Macleod & Coetzer. Without Rashid, Afghan's attack will suffer anywhere, and I believe both IRL & SCT has better batting line up than AFGs. .

Them, as well as Netherlands and Zimbabwe should've been in it, the 2003 format should've returned IMO. England should have hosted majority of the games, with Scotland, Ireland and Netherlands hosting most of their games. ICC still has a chance to rethink 2023, I hope they expand.