By Grockle
May 7 2003

Braveheart may have been on the TV tonight but the Scots didn't win 'their freedom' in Edinburgh today. Bolwed out for 138 by our second string, they were then put to the sword by a batsman who devastates poor bowling - Marcus Trescothick.

v SCOTLAND @ C&G The Grange Edinburgh 7 May 2003

SCORECARD

So it's us v Surrey in the next round and the Scots get a taste of the frustration of a side that can't get it sorted in the main competitions but shows it's class in the Cup ones...seems like I've been here before.

A 10 wicket victory starts our Scottish tour and bodes well for some points on Friday when we take on the same side in the NUL.  We certainly didn't under-estimate the opposition, after all they did more than we could to Durham - they beat them!  We went in with BOTH Johnson and McLean (I thought they might rest Nixon after the hamstring rumours that have been floating about at the start of the week).  Both spinners played and the attack was completed by Francis and Keith Parsons with Burnsy as backup/change bowler - no place for Steffan Jones and Aaron Laraman.  No Caddick either - has he given up the one day game totally?

As an aside, Matt Wood and Arul Suppiah both turned out for Devon so they will obviously not feature in Somerset's campaign in the C&G this year because that effectively 'cup ties' them from future C&G games for us.  Not that surprising though - Matt hasn't yet identified himself as a first choice one day batsman.

The batting line-up is interesting.  The numbers suggest that Trescothick will open with Cox with Bryant at first wicket down and Burnsy at 4.   That looks better to me and if the opening pair take a shine to the ball there may be little need for anyone else to pad up - although it sin't that likely on recent performances.

Scotland don't have Dravid (although it seems he has signed to play for them in the NCL)  There is a guy called Brinkley.  Is that James Brinkley?  I think it might be.  Anyway, Scotland win the toss and decide to put a score up.  But Nixon has other ideas and Rigby is on his way back after half and hour and 7 runs.  Francis has Mcrae LBW and the Scots are 37 for 3.  Then it's the turn of Keith Parsons to show that he can be a one day force with the ball.  He didn't have too good a game in Derby but he is here to make amends and he does so with three wickets to rip the middle order out of the newcomers!

First Kent is caught by Banger, Smith follows three balls later for 0 when he is LBW and Stanger is caught behind after adding only 9 runs.  Scotland slump to 69 for 5 and Parsons has 3 for not a lot!  Thirty runs later and just before they reach three figures, Burns gets in on the act. Lockhart has just passed 50 runs of stubborn resistance when he is caught behind off the Somerset captain and his replacement Williamson is run out just the other side of 100.  Burnsy finishes off with Brinkley's wicket LBW with the score on 104.  Haq is bamboozeled by Blackwell contributing to a one run stand and it's down to the last two with only 105 on the scoreboard.  But, Somerset-like, the last pair put up a fight and an excellent knock by Wright with support from Number 11 Hoffman gets the home side to 138 at the end of the 50 overs.

They survived but it isn't a total that should worry a first class side in 50 overs.  It is difficult to guage how good the bowling was but a really tight spell from Francis (10/1/19/1) and Blackwell (7/1/17/1) supported the wicket-takers Parsons (10/0/29/3) and Burns (3/0/13/2).  Johnno was wicketless and moderately quiet but still only went for 29 and Nixon's 1 for 28 must have livened up proceedings for the Scottish batsmen!  No need for Dutchy to turn his arm over.

And no need for anyone to pad up to take over at the fall of the first wicket.  Cox and Trescothick seem to have dismantled the Scots' attack all on their own.  Cox supporting with 39 off 46 with 4 fours while Marcus T illustrates just what he can do to less than first class bowling by putting 5 sixes out of the field and adding 13 fours in his 103 off only 70 balls!  142 in 19.2 overs and on to the South in the C&G!  Next stop Surrey and a bot more of a test.