Scotland aims to bury the ghost of its previous encounter with UAE

Former champion Scotland will be aiming to bury the ghost of its previous encounter with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when it faces Arshad Ali's men in the opening match of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 from Wednesday at the Cambusdoon New Ground in Ayr, Scotland.

Requiring an outright win to qualify for the final, the 2004 winners could manage only a draw on a batters' paradise at Sharjah Stadium last January in a match that yielded 1,214 runs, including two centuries and six fifties.

Scotland's failure opened the door for Ireland which, in the subsequent match, defeated the UAE by an innings and 170 runs to qualify for the final at Grace Road, Leicester where it successfully defended the title against Canada.

Scotland captain Ryan Watson, who averages just under 42 with the bat in first-class cricket, admitted the Sharjah disappointment was still fresh in his memory but warned that Ayr conditions would give his team a slight advantage this time.

"Yes, we're still smarting from that outcome. But we're not looking for revenge, as we are always looking to win every game we play," said Watson, who has played 17 ODIs and nine first-class matches for Scotland.

"Things will be very different in Scotland as compared to Sharjah. It is very wet and cold this week. The elements will definitely be in our favour as we'll be more used to (facing) swinging and seaming balls than the UAE perhaps are," said the 30-year-old.

UAE captain Arshad Ali agreed that in unfamiliar conditions his team will have to raise its game to test the home team.

"It's not an ideal scenario when you travel for a crucial four-day match after playing a few Twenty20 matches," said the 31-year-old batsman.

"But I think the real challenge will not be switching from quick to traditional cricket but to play in conditions where the ball will bounce and seam and swing a lot and will test the batsmen to their limits."

Arshad, however, insisted that his players will have to back their skills and talent. "The key will be to keep faith in our abilities and back ourselves. I have reason to believe that our fast bowlers can also come good in those conditions and help to neutralize the home advantage."

Scotland has preferred the unproven combination of Qasim Sheikh, Simon Smith and Omar Hussain over former captain Gavin Hamilton and veteran Dougie Brown for the UAE match and Watson believes the trio will bring fresh enthusiasm to the team.

"We're never happy with our preparations, given our amateur status. But all the new faces have recent experience, and have current form under their belts. Simon Smith has already played in the Intercontinental Cup, but these guys will bring about a freshness we perhaps need."

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has been restructured with all the eight teams to play against each other and the top two qualifying for the final. The revised format impresses Watson.

"We're looking forward to the new structure, with all eight teams playing each other once. It's the fairest way, and will help to avoid the lop-sided finals of the past, when those taking part were not always the best two in the competition. The new structure should eliminate that," he said.

According to Watson, Ireland and Kenya were the favourites to once again qualify for the finals. "The Irish are always going to be among the favourites, as they've won two years on the trot. But the Kenyans are a good unit, and very experienced."

Immediately after the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against the UAE, Scotland will meet Pakistan in Glasgow on 3 July in an ODI and aware of the fact that if it can cause an upset, it will find a place in main table of the LG ICC ODI Championship.

But for Watson, it is one thing at a time. "It's vital that we go out and win the Intercontinental Cup match and then we can focus on the ODI against Pakistan."

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now ICC's premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members' cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 at a venue yet to be decided.

Teams:

Scotland (from): Ryan Watson (capt), John Blain, Majid Haq, Omer Hussain, Paul Hoffmann, Ross Lyons, Qasim Sheikh, Neil McCallum, Simon Smith, Dewald Nel, Fraser Watts, Craig Wright.

UAE (from): Arshad Ali (captain), Mohamed Tauqir, Khuram Khan, Ahmed Nadeem, Javed Ismail, Saqib Ali, Gayan Silva, Naeemuddin Aslam, Umar Dar Farooq, Sameer Zia, Amjad Javed, Shadeep Silva, Zahid Shah, Qasim Zubai

Umpires: Norman Malcolm (Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires) and Paul Baldwin (ICC Associates and Affiliates Umpires International Panel)