Cricket – Hodge has Scotland pumped up

Cricket Scotland hope the motivation of Scotland rugby star Duncan Hodge can help them knock over high-flying England in a sell-out, one-day cricket international at The Grange on Sunday (11am).

The rugby player came into the equation after being contacted by Scotland’s new cricket coach, Grant Bradburn, a New Zealander.

Aberdeen-born Coetzer said that since the 52-year-old former right-hand bat and right-arm offbreak bowler has arrived in Scotland he has tried to get into different sporting environments.

The batsman added: “He wants to see different sports working together and Duncan (Hodge) is trying to give the cricket side a different view on sport.

“He’s been here most of Saturday and he will be with the guys on Saturday evening and into tomorrow (Sunday).

Asked about the pressure playing England, Coetzer said: “All the cricket we play has something on the line.

“We have two fantastic sides and the No 1 ranked team is here so there is no bigger occasion for us.”

The clash comes on the back on a tough tour to Zimbabwe when Scotland controversially missed out on World Cup selection.

They were knocked out after West Indies won a rain-affected game in Harare.

The Scots needed another 74 off 14.4 overs when the deluge intervened, Coetzer’s side trailing by five runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

They had earlier bowled West Indies out for 198, Safyaan Sharif and Brad Wheal both taking three wickets.

Richie Berrington hit 33 after Scotland were reduced to 25-3 in reply, but his controversial dismissal, given out lbw to a ball that replays appeared to show was heading down the leg side.

That proved decisive and Scotland’s hopes of a fourth World Cup appearance after reaching the 1999, 2007 and 2015 tournaments were effectively ended by the weather.

Two-time champions West Indies secured their spot at the tournament in England and Wales having been forced to qualify after dropping out of the automatic ranking spots.

Koetzer reflected that it was better for the players to “get back on that horse” after that disappointment.

And the captain admitted that some players found it harder than others to recover from the disappointment of Zimbabwe.

He added: “It was hard to take, and some people took it harder than others, but playing some cricket tomorrow will benefit everybody.

“The guys have done everything they need to do. In an ideal world it would have been better to play games leading up to this.

“We’re used to that, we don’t get that sort of treat and we crack on.”

The 34-year-old, former Aberdeen Grammar School pupil said: “We have to be realistic too, but we must go out there with the full intention of winning the game.

“We are extremely proud of the way the guys played in Zimbabwe even through we fell at the last hurdle.

“The way we showed how we played are cricket and the style of cricket we played throughout.

“Tomorrow’s occasion will be special and we feel we have to put on a good show.”