Morgan: we cannot take scotland lightly
England captain Eoin Morgan insists they cannot take Scotland lightly as they begin their whiteball summer in Edinburgh.
Preparations for next summer’s World Cup continue with a sevenweek block of limited overs fixtures.
Before they host Australia and India in both one-day international and Twenty20 matches, England take on Scotland for the first time in three years at the Grange.
The Saltires go into today’s game on the back of frustration in the World Cup Qualifiers, when they were cruelly denied entry to next year’s competition, but despite their standing as an Associate Nation, Morgan is aware of the threats they could pose his side despite their standing as the No. 1 side in one-day cricket.
“It should be a really good game,” the Middlesex batsman said. “We haven’t played Scotland for quite a while.
“We watched them play in the qualifying tournament for the 50- over World Cup next year, which was an extremely competitive tournament and I don’t think there was a lot between the teams, so qualifying was difficult.
“It gives Scotland a lot more exposure and the days of not knowing who you are going to play against are gone. They are an extremely competitive side and we are looking forward to it.”
He added: “I think gone are the days when there are any potential banana skins or anything like that. Cricket is moving forward at a fast rate and every team is moving forward with you, so I’d expect it to be very competitive.”
England go into the game without three key men in Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes, with the latter two nursing injuries and Buttler rested. Morgan only recently returned from injury with a century for his county earlier in the week.