We deserve to be at top level

SCOTLAND v ENGLAND Centurion Calum’s ICC plea as Scots humiliate England

team we have to take these opportunities and we did just that.

‘Over the last year or so we have looked at the key moments in games and learned to take them. We don’t want to be plucky losers, we are now bold enough to go and win these games.

‘Anyone who was at this game or watched it on television knows just what this team is all about now and that can’t be ignored.

‘I hope the ICC and other international teams look at this. For too long we have just been an add-on. Hopefully this will be the catalyst that leads to more cricket and more days like this, because this was a special day with an amazing crowd.

‘I think anybody who was here has probably got the energy and felt the passion for cricket in Scotland. We’ve looked at the way Afghanistan and Ireland have progressed on the back of beating full member teams. If we put in performances like that, then that’s how we can make people sit up and take notice.’

This was a triumph for a Scotland side who controversially failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup when they lost to West Indies in a qualifying competition earlier this year.

‘It does not take away what happened to us against West Indies and our feelings about a 10-team World Cup but this was a special day,’ said MacLeod, who looked completely at home against the No 1 ranked one-day side.

‘Performances like this can only push our case. This should be a catalyst for us to get more games like this.’

England skipper Eoin Morgan denied that his side had taken the challenge of Scotland lightly.

‘We certainly didn’t take Scotland lightly and I think they probably played their best cricket in this game,’ the 31-year-old batsman stated. ‘Having not qualified for the World Cup this will mean a huge amount for Scottish cricket. There is a good chance it will turn around their year and help them push on.

‘We didn’t play anywhere near our best, we were a bit rusty, but credit to Scotland. We missed our lines with the ball a bit and with the bat we were not far off. Jonny Bairstow was outstanding, but we didn’t see it through and that is annoying.

‘The wicket was so good, but it was probably a 330-340 wicket and we just gave them too many runs.

‘It’s huge for Scotland but I’m not massively disappointed as it was a good, competitive game.’

As the Scotland fans celebrated the historic triumph, all that was missing on an extraordinary Edinburgh day was a pitch invasion from the Tartan Army.

For England, it was a hugely embarrassing first defeat by neighbours not exactly known for their cricketing prowess at a time when Morgan’s one-day side have been sweeping all aside.

One year from the World Cup and with nine wins in their last ten one-day series behind them, this was a reality check for England and a huge concern, however much Morgan tried to shrug it off.

And to think this match, against a Scotland team ranked 13th in the world, was meant to be a warm-up for the supposedly tougher tests to come in a fivematch series against Australia starting at the Oval on Wednesday. The Aussies cannot be any tougher than tigerish Scotland.

MacLeod looked in his element against the No 1 ranked one-day side in the world, slog sweeping Moeen Ali for six to reach 50 and clearing the short boundaries twice more while also hitting 16 fours.

There were also half centuries for Scottish captain Kyle Coetzer and a left-handed hitter in George Munsey who bamboozled England’s spinners with his reverse sweeping on his way to 55.

Scotland’s dream was in danger when Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett were adding 71 for the eighth wicket but Moeen threw it away before Adil Rashid ran himself out. Wood was trapped lbw by Safyaan Sharif and Scotland could celebrate one of the biggest shocks in England’s one-day history.

MacLeod, who now is a player/ coach at Bexley Cricket Club in Kent, hopes his innings — and the overall performance of the whole XI — may earn some of the players contracts with English counties.

‘If something comes along there will be conversations, but you don’t want to get too far ahead. I want to make sure we enjoy how big a win this is,’ he said.

‘There were other good performances, not just me. The way Kyle (Coetzer) set the innings off, he’s been doing that for two, three years now.

‘Anyone who watched that would see 11 cricketers that are in the shop window and more than capable of winning games for counties and at international level.’