Really tough for Associates to get more exposure, need to work together: Cricket Scotland CEO

A crowded cricket calendar makes it “really tough” for Associate nations to get more exposure against established teams, Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade has conceded. Scotland were initially not a part of the 20-team roster for the T20 World Cup but Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India led to their inclusion. Placed in Group C, Scotland ended their four-match campaign placed third, with one win and three defeats.

“It is really tough because that crowded schedule is making it tougher for those of us to get more content,” Lindblade told reporters after Scotland’s loss to Nepal in their final group match here on Tuesday “We need to work collectively. We have all the Associate members that are playing here in this tournament. We talk regularly, we meet, and one of the things that we used to have was someone within the ICC that could help bring us together.

“We all have our own individual targets and metrics of what we want to play, but other ways that we can also do it is together... A consolidated front, a united front,” she stressed. Lindblade said Associate nations can improve with more top-flight cricket on regular basis, not just by playing against top teams. “We’ve all been consistent in terms of what we want - more cricket on a more regular basis, playing against the top teams.

You don’t always have to play the Englands and Australias of the world. We want to play a mix of teams because that will help improve our cricket,” she said. Lindblade said Scotland, like other Associates, have to come up with solutions to the problem while underlining cricket’s global growth. Cricket Scotland is one of the founding members of the European T20 Premier League along with boards of Ireland and the Netherlands.

“We’ve got a new franchise league coming into Europe with the European T20 Premier League later this year and that is so exciting for us, because we are part of the founding countries in that,” Lindblade said. “You’ve seen how Italy and the Netherlands have performed at this World Cup. There is a real opportunity in Europe, going back to global growth. We want to be part of that. We want to be part of that showcase that this game is a really beautiful game,” she said.

Lindblade said getting a last-minute call to join the T20 World Cup wasn’t unfair in terms of preparation for the players but they took it as an opportunity. “I wouldn’t say it’s unfair. I would take it as an opportunity. We needed to come, we came in here and took it as an opportunity,” she said.

“Yes, we didn’t have the same preparation as everybody else. Yes, we had to do a lot of things, but that took the pressure off us so we could come in with a different mindset. We were trending on social media in India last Saturday, so for us, what an opportunity.” “...We showed the might and fight of Scotland, and that I’m really proud of,” she added.