Burger call for game to ‘heal’ and be inclusive

SCOTLAND head coach Shane Burger hopes ‘cricket can heal’ following the damning findings uncovered by a seven-month investigation that concluded Cricket Scotland was an institutionally racist organisation.

The South African also conceded that everyone involved in the sport would have to play their part in ‘calling out racism’ and hoped cricket in Scotland would recover sufficiently to eventually enjoy a brighter and ‘more inclusive’ future.

The 52-page report was published on Monday, two days before Scotland face New Zealand in a mini-series of three matches, with the first T20I contest taking place in Edinburgh this afternoon.

Burger, head coach since 2019, said: ‘It’s been a difficult time for the sport and the ongoing independent review is clearly showing there is an issue with racism and discrimination within cricket. As someone with a deep love for cricket and for everyone involved in the sport, I think we all want to ensure everyone feels welcome and has access to equal opportunities within the sport.

‘I hope, in time, cricket can heal and we can look to a brighter, fairer and more inclusive future. We all have a role to play in calling out racism and making it clear it has no place in the sport.’

The widescale condemnation of Cricket Scotland has overshadowed what ought to have been one of the most anticipated dates in the sporting calendar.

Not since England were beaten at the Grange in 2018 has such a high-profile full member country played in Scotland.

‘It’s just very exciting to be hosting a country like New Zealand after all the challenges we had trying to bring games here during Covid,’ added Burger.

‘They’re one of the best teams in the world. They’re missing some of their big guns but they’ve still brought a really talented squad filled with experience and also a few younger ones that they’re looking to push through.

‘It’s going to be a tough challenge for us but also a good way for us to measure where we are as a team ahead of the T20 World Cup at the end of the year.

‘After the experience of last year’s World Cup, we said we wanted to have more games against full members and now we have three this week against one of the best. And we want to win.’

There will be no Kyle Coetzer in the Scotland team this afternoon after the former captain chose recently to step down from T20 cricket to focus on one-day internationals.

Burger explained: ‘It was Kyle’s decision to retire from the T20 format and we have to respect that. We’ve had a lot of chats over the last year about the best way to prolong his career but also to provide more opportunities for the next group of players coming through the system.

‘It will be great to have Kyle still around to share his knowledge and to bolster our ODI team. Now it’s up to those pushing through to show they can take their opportunity.’