Allingham in line to face Australia (15 May 1999)

15 May 1999

Allingham in line to face Australia

Keith Graham

Having negotiated their three World Cup warm-up games without any serious injury alarms, Scotland face their biggest test tomorrow against Australia at Worcester.

Scotland coach Jim Love has a dilemma in team selection. One of his most experienced batsmen, Bruce Patterson has had a disappointing week, registering scores of five, four and nought in the run-up to the tournament.

On the other hand, Mike Allingham, perhaps not originally considered to be a front-runner for a place in the final XI, scored an impressive half-century against Lancashire at Old Trafford on Monday and bowled a tidy spell against Yorkshire at Scarborough, staking a strong claim for inclusion.

Love may gamble on Patterson's experience but if he is excluded, Mike Smith could go in first with Iain Philip, who has shown encouraging form, with Allingham at No 3. Gavin Hamilton may be elevated to No 4 to bolster the top order.

Most encouraging in the rain-affected warm-up games has been the form of Scotland's seamers, who made Yorkshire struggle to pass a modest target of 128 on Monday.

The work-rate of the Scotland squad, the only amateurs in the tournament, has been such that they have drawn fulsome praise from bowling coach Graham Dilley.

SCOTLAND (probable): I L Philip, J Smith, M J de G Allingham, *G Salmond (capt), G M Hamilton, I M Stanger, J G Williamson, J E Brinkley, A G Davies, J A R Blain, Asim Butt, K L P Sheridan/N R Dyer.

Edinburgh City Council's Huntly House Museum have launched an exhibition tracing the history of Scottish cricket to mark the country's participation in the World Cup.

Exhibits include a bat which belonged to the 35th McKinnon of McKinnon, who as F A McKinnon toured Australia with England in 1878, Jack Hobbs' batting gloves and the painting by David Allan of the first recorded match in Scotland at Schaw Park, Alloa on Sept 3, 1785.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)