Scotland call up Parsons for debut (9 May 1997)

Friday 9 May 1997

Scotland call up Parsons for debut

By Keith Graham

DREW PARSONS, the Prestwick batsman, has been included in Scotland`s squad for their final Benson and Hedges group match against Nottinghamshire at Titwood on Monday.

Parsons, 22, will earn his first cap should he get the nod from coach Jim Love and his refreshingly attacking approach may give the Scottish batting more of an edge.

The left-hander, who finished 10th in the League averages in 1996 with almost 500 runs at an average of 33, has already hit form, scoring an impressive 62 in his team`s crushing victory over Clackmannan last Saturday.

Also returning to the squad for the first time since returning from Malaysia, is Heriot`s all-rounder Mike Allingham. Scot Gourlay, the Freuchie all-rounder, is left out.

Tomorrow, Grange, clear winners of their opening Caledonian 80/- Scottish League fixture over last year`s champions Aberdeenshire, will be seeking to continue their title challenge when they entertain Heriot`s, victors over RHSM last week. There is certainly strength in depth in their line-up this year with the arrival of Steve Crawley, George Salmond and former professional Ian Beven, who team up with returning Jamaican professional Nehemiah Perry and Scottish caps Peter Steindl, Roddy Smith and Gordon McGurk. Heriot`s, with Jim Love, Shahid Aslam, Mike Allington and possibly John Blain in their team, may be expected to set them a sterner test tomorrow

Things in the D M Hall Western Union, however, do not seem to be as clear cut. Clydesdale may have begun their programme last week full of optimism but a crashing defeat at the hands of one of last year`s whipping boys, Uddingston, will have introduced a feeling of reality.

Tomorrow, they face last year`s wooden spoonists Kilmarnock and anything short of a resounding victory would have the alarm bells ringing. The top match of the day sees last week`s centurians Sajid Ali and Dawnley Joseph in opposition when Poloc entertain Ferguslie. Poloc`s Pakistani batsman is one of the country`s most entertaining players.

Both teams had resounding wins on the opening day of the season and providing both Joseph and Ali can maintain form, could mount title challenges.

The confrontation between the two and between Ali and Stuart Kennedy, one of Scotland`s bowling heroes in Malaysia, is a mouth-watering prospect.

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