Scots all ready for a bit of fun in the sun
CRICKET SCOTLAND chief executive Malcolm Cannon believes the European Cricket Performance Centre in Spain can help up-and-coming Scottish talent take the sport to the next level.
Cannon was at the La Manga Club recently as the centre was officially opened.
The resort has signed a deal with Cricket Scotland and Cricket Ireland to give them use of the warm weather overseas training base in the south east of the country for the next decade.
Designed to help prepare men’s and women’s teams for international cricket as well as assisting with the development of players and coaches, Cannon is excited about the facility and what it can do for Scottish cricket.
“This is what we’ve been asking and wishing for for a long time,” Cannon said.
“The Scottish players and coaches have rued the fact there aren’t enough training opportunities on grass. Now we have that and it’s a lot closer than Dubai, which is where we have tended to go previously.
“There’s effectively no limit to when we can use the facilities. We sent out a squad of 20 recently – eight of our contracted Scottishbased players and 12 development pathway players – for a week and they had a fantastic time. There is enormous potential for the facility and it does make a massive difference when you can have intensive, good-quality training in good weather.
“Ideally, it will lead to opportunities for outdoor games in the winter as well, as we don’t get enough chances to put people into match situations.”
Meanwhile, Cannon admits gaining full membership of the International Cricket Council – and all of the benefits that brings – “remains a very serious goal”.
And he is keen to forge closer relationships with Cricket Ireland going forward in a bid to follow in their footsteps. The Irish are set to become an ICC full member in June, are on the road to Test status and recently played two One-Day Internationals against England, including one at Lord’s.
Scotland, who defeated Sri Lanka on Sunday for one of their biggest ever victories, have struggled in recent years to get regular fixtures against the bigger nations.
Cannon stated: “We don’t work as closely with Ireland as we should.
“When we look at the other Associate Nations around us, Ireland has received this massive boost of moving towards Test status and full membership of the ICC.We now have to step up or we will fall behind. Matching what they are doing has to be a possibility for us and that has to be our aim – if not Test status then certainly full membership.
“Full membership and the benefits that brings – in terms of finance and profile – remains a very serious goal for us. If it’s down to how much you deserve it and how many of the criteria we fulfil, then we have to be a very strong candidate to be the next cab off the rank.
“The ICC must look to extend full membership at some stage and we need to be in front of the eyes making that decision all the time.”