Scotland receives further cash boost

Cricket in Scotland has been given yet another boost with another injection of a six-figure sum. It is the second time this month that Scottish cricket has been given a boost: on April 6 Sportscotland announced that it would be donating more than £270,000.

This time, a Scottish brewery has come on board to offer a six-figure sponsorship deal plus the offer of jobs for two key players - Ryan Watson and Cedric English - which will allow them to concentrate on their sport. The business, the Caledonian Brewing Company, already employs Gavin Hamilton, the Durham and Scotland allrounder, in the close season.

The managing director, Stephen Crawley, is a former Scotland international and he had been hoping to get involved in helping Scottish cricket for a while as Scotland attempt to qualify for the World Cup in 2007. "This is such an important year for Scottish cricket," Crawley told The Times newspaper, "and we are proud to be able to play a small part in what we hope will be a very successful international season."

Some of the cash will help six of Scotland's top players make themselves available full-time throughout the season. Scotland will head to Ireland in early July to take part in the ICC Trophy in Ireland, where the top five teams will progress to the World Cup, which is being held in West Indies.