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Mommsen targets 'weaknesses' in death bowling

Preston Mommsen has said he expects Bangladesh to field a spin-heavy attack before adding that Scotland had worked hard to improve that area of their game over the past few months

Scotland's batting has been unconvincing at the World Cup but Preston Mommsen hopes hard work pays off against Bangladesh  •  Getty Images

Scotland's batting has been unconvincing at the World Cup but Preston Mommsen hopes hard work pays off against Bangladesh  •  Getty Images

Plan for Bangladesh, plan for spin. Preston Mommsen has said he expects Bangladesh to field a spin-heavy attack before adding that Scotland had worked hard to improve that area of their game over the past few months.
Bangladesh have not hinted at any changes, but after the three-men pace attack leaked runs against Sri Lanka at the MCG, and with them now facing an opposition considered weak against spin, there might be a rethink. But Mommsen was not waiting for that.
"We are expecting a full spin attack from the Bangladeshis or we're preparing for that at least," Mommsen said. "I think it's important for us to play good strong shots during those middle overs, play good cricket to set us up for the back 10, 15 overs. If we can get to that 40th over with wickets in hand, hopefully we can expose some weaknesses in their death bowling and hopefully get a good total by playing good cricket in that way.
"In the last 12 months we've spent a lot of time training in subcontinental conditions against spin," he said. "We had a 10-day batting camp with Matthew Maynard in Dubai where the main focus was playing against spin. We're fully prepared. We've ticked all the boxes we need to tick."
As the afternoon got busier, with organisers getting the ground ready for its final match this tournament, the Scotland batsmen took turns to perfect their sweep shots on the practice pitch on the main square. They also tried to use their feet, not to go for big hits, but to push the ball along the ground.
It was a quick change in focus for a team that struggled against seam bowling in each their previous three matches. A loss in one of them had left them gutted, too.
"That Afghanistan game was very difficult to get over," Mommsen said. "Obviously there were times in that game we were going to win and then it slipped away from us and got back and then slipped away again.
"To lose that game was very disappointing for all the 15 players, but we've had a good couple of days' break, clean break from cricket, some of the boys have gone up north, seen some of the beautiful beaches in Nelson and just taken their minds off cricket. We came back to training yesterday nice and refreshed and the boys are ready to go for tomorrow."
That was in all probability Scotland's best chance to register their first World Cup win. Now, with three games remaining, against Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the one on Thursday will possibly be their last opportunity as Bangladesh are the only Full Member who Scotland have beaten, albeit in a T20.
"The only time I've played them was in the Twenty20 in the Netherlands, which we played good cricket on that day and things went our way and we came out on top," Mommsen said. "We have good memories of playing against Bangladesh. However, we know they're a quality international team. They're a Full Member nation. There will be more pressure on them.
"They're expected to win this game. They want to get two points out of this game. But at the same time we know it's a brilliant opportunity for Scotland as an Associate team to play against a Full Member and have the opportunity to beat a Full Member. We are right up for this game."
It was in Nelson that Ireland surprised West Indies to pull off the tournament most notable reversal to date. It is here that Scotland are hoping to repeat the same.
"We love what Ireland do on the world stage, at World Cups, the way they're able to beat Full Members on a consistent basis," he said. "We do take inspiration from the way they performed here against West Indies. I think they're very aggressive in the way they took on West Indies' bowling attack, and we'll try and represent the Associates tomorrow as best we can."

Devashish Fuloria is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo