Ashes hero primed for Auld Enemy T20 clash

England cricket legend Jonathan Trott reckons Scotland can blast their way through the opening round of this month’s T20 World Cup and land an Auld Enemy rematch in the second stage.

The Ashes hero has been drafted in by Scots coach Shane Burger to pass on his experience during a build-up that concludes with warm-ups against Papua New Guinea and Namibia in Dubai over the next two days.

Trott, 40, admits he’s been impressed with the batters, including exWarwickshire team-mate Calum MacLeod who took a starring role when the English were stunned at The Grange in 2018.

He said: “It’s about getting them to get the most out of themselves and be ready for when the pressure is going to be on, under the lights and in front of the cameras.

“I think they’re going in the right direction.

“It’s about maintaining that now so that when these warm-up games are finished, that the guys are really confident and looking forward to facing Bangladesh in the lights.”

But while facing England will be a reward if Kyle Coetzer’s men survive the first phase in Oman, Cricket Scotland have been snubbed in attempts to bring their rivals back north of the border for the ultimate glamour tie.

With a target of Test match status inside the next decade, there’s no doubt that those duels would be box office, Trott proclaims.

“There’s just as much passion certainly in this side to be playing big games as perhaps there has been in Ireland,” he said. “They’re now playing Test matches and more consistently internationally.

“There’s certainly that desire and passion within Scottish cricket and within these lads.

“And, hopefully, that can happen one day.”

But Trott, who is now also coaching at his former county, believes there is a trick that has been missed since Scotland were ousted from playing as a guest in England’s domestic one-day competitions in 2013.

One that could help bridge the gap between the neighbours and blood young talent coming through so that it’s ready for future World Cups.

“I always thought it was great for the development of the game in Ireland and Scotland when they were playing in the English domestic white ball league. The amount of games that you would play.

“When we used to play, there were nine or 10 teams and sometimes you’d play 16-18 games. So the acceleration of players’ development and experience playing in the English domestic league, I think would be tenfold.

“Certainly now that the best players are probably playing in The Hundred. Depending on which time of the year it is, I think it’d be hugely beneficial to Scottish cricket and something I’d seriously consider.

“I’d be knocking on the door at Lord’s saying ‘let us in, we want to play’.”

Scotland stepped up their T20 World Cup preparations with a brilliant five-wicket win over Ireland in Dubai.

Chasing 177 to beat their oldest cricketing foes, George Munsey shrugged off the loss of Ollie Hairs in the first over to stage a thrilling counter-attack, reaching 50 from just 20 balls and adding 104 for the second wicket with Calum MacLeod (36). Bighitting Munsey blasted six boundaries and five mighty maximums before holing out for 67.

The Scots then suffered a mid-innings wobble to slip to 126-5 before Forfarshire team-mates Craig Wallace and Michael Leask put on an unbroken stand of 52 to take their side home with 13 balls to spare.

Assistant coach Craig Wright said: “It’s really good to get a win in our first game back in the T20 format, specifically against our old rivals Ireland.

“We bowled and fielded well to keep them to 176 on a very quick-scoring ground and then batters knocked it off in professional fashion.

“It’s a good confidence boost with two days of training now and then back-to-back games later in the week.”

HOT TO TROTT: Former England cricketer Jonathan Trott says he has been impressed with Scotland’s batting ability ahead of the T20 World Cup.