FLYING SCOTS ON A MISSION

SCOTLAND batsman George Munsey believes the team have taken their game up a level in recent months as they prepare to take on England in a One Day International in seven days’ time.

Ever since the Scots missed out on qualification for next year’s reduced ten-team World Cup in England — back in March in Zimbabwe — all cricketers and cricket fans in Scotland have had June 10 circled on their calendars.

Watsonians’ Munsey, 25, was at the wicket on 32 not out when rain stopped play in Scotland’s final qualifying match against the West Indies.

On 125-5, chasing 199 to win, the rain did not relent and Grant Bradburn’s side cruelly lost out by five runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Munsey and Co could have come back to Scotland feeling a sense of injustice and started the domestic season with a whimper, but the opposite has happened. Every player involved that day — and the wider squad — has begun the 2018 campaign with a bang.

Whether that be with clubs, the regional teams or Scotland ‘A’, batsmen and bowlers have been putting their hands up for selection for next Sunday’s game at the Grange in Edinburgh.

‘The way the qualification campaign ended was very tough to take — we all wanted to be going to a World Cup in England,’ said Munsey.

‘But in the weeks after that trip we had a lot of discussions amongst ourselves and with head coach Grant Bradburn — and we were all adamant that we could really kick on from it.

‘We have shown that we can compete with some of the best teams in the world and the way everyone has been playing shows me that everyone cannot wait to face England.’