Mccoist aims to help Norrie get one over English in Battle of Brits

Cameron Norrie, Britain’s latest tennis phenomenon, will be captained by a Scottish football legend when he competes in the Battle of the Brits event in Aberdeen just before Christmas.

Norrie – who was due to play Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili overnight in the Indian Wells final – will be Scotland’s trump card in the exhibition clash with England.

Encouragement from the sidelines will be provided by Ally Mccoist, a tennis enthusiast who is better known for his goalscoring exploits at Rangers.

The idea, which was hatched by Norrie’s Scottish team-mate Jamie Murray, is intended to bring a twist to the team-tennis format. Murray is also seeking an English captain from outside the sport, though his identity has yet to be confirmed.

“It’s definitely going to be a great event,” Norrie said on Saturday, shortly after defeating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov to reach by far the biggest final of his career. “We don’t want to lose to England. We’re going to be doing it for bragging rights more than anything. I think Jamie has done a wonderful effort putting that all together.”

Norrie has a multinational background. His father David is Scottish, his mother Helen is Welsh, he was born in South Africa and then raised in New Zealand, where both parents worked as microbiologists.

His team-mates in Aberdeen are expected to be both Murray brothers and doubles specialist Jonny O’mara.

The English team will be led by Dan Evans, with Joe Salisbury, the world’s No3 doubles player, partnering Neal Skupski. Kyle Edmund might also appear, but his recovery from surgery in March has not been progressing as quickly as hoped.

Norrie is almost certain to go to Aberdeen – for an event that will be played from Dec 21-22 – as the British No1. He started the year at No71 in the world but will be in the teens from today, either at No16 or No17 depending on the result of the Indian Wells final.