Watson finds early form

Ryan Watson struck a fine hundred on his comeback on the first day of Scotland's warm-up match against a UAE Development XI at Sharjah.

Watson fractured his cheekbone when he top-edged an attempted hook in Scotland's one-dayer against Bangladesh last December, but he showed no signs of trouble in his brisk hundred. "He wasn't at his fluent best at the start," Peter Drinnen, the Scotland coach, told The Scotsman, "but then he hit a pull shot from a short ball, which was a good sign, and he just took it from there."

He was ably supported by Fraser Watts (38) and Gavin Hamilton (28) before Craig Wright, the Scotland captain, joined him in a valuable partnership in the middle of the innings. Wright, who has recovered quickly from a virus picked up on the flight over, batted neatly for his 43 as Scotland were dismissed for 308.

The UAE Development XI closed on 13 for 1 going into the second and final day. Scotland face UAE in the decisive Intercontinental Cup match on January 11.