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Alastair Cook warns England face 'banana-skin' ODI against Scotland Alastair Cook warns England face 'banana-skin' ODI against Scotland
(about 1 hour later)
England may have considered Aberdeen the perfect place to pour oil on the troubled waters of the winter, which ended in humiliation by the Netherlands in Bangladesh in the World Twenty20 39 days ago. But Kyle Coetzer, who despite his suspiciously South African-sounding name will be captaining Scotland in his native city – his father having moved to Aberdeen to work in the oil industry more than three decades ago – is keen to heap further embarrassment on the Auld Enemy.England may have considered Aberdeen the perfect place to pour oil on the troubled waters of the winter, which ended in humiliation by the Netherlands in Bangladesh in the World Twenty20 39 days ago. But Kyle Coetzer, who despite his suspiciously South African-sounding name will be captaining Scotland in his native city – his father having moved to Aberdeen to work in the oil industry more than three decades ago – is keen to heap further embarrassment on the Auld Enemy.
"Some of them might be feeling under a bit of pressure coming into this game," said the 30-year-old batsman, who spent his teenage years making the long commute down the east coast with the support of his family to earn a county career first with Durham and now as Northamptonshire's new Twenty20 captain. "We'd like to put a bit more pressure on them, and hopefully we can bring back some haunting memories from the winter.""Some of them might be feeling under a bit of pressure coming into this game," said the 30-year-old batsman, who spent his teenage years making the long commute down the east coast with the support of his family to earn a county career first with Durham and now as Northamptonshire's new Twenty20 captain. "We'd like to put a bit more pressure on them, and hopefully we can bring back some haunting memories from the winter."
Coetzer rejected the chance to gloat any further – "This is your Andy Murray moment," the Scotland coach, Craig Wright, joked when the captain was asked whether he had relished England's misfortunes in Australia and then Bangladesh. Coetzer said diplomatically that he had been disappointed to see friends from the county game suffering so much.Coetzer rejected the chance to gloat any further – "This is your Andy Murray moment," the Scotland coach, Craig Wright, joked when the captain was asked whether he had relished England's misfortunes in Australia and then Bangladesh. Coetzer said diplomatically that he had been disappointed to see friends from the county game suffering so much.
However, his former Durham team-mate Paul Collingwood is one Englishman with a soft spot for the underdogs. Collingwood gave up his first coaching role with Scotland, after helping the team qualify for next year's 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, to work alongside Ashley Giles at the World T20.However, his former Durham team-mate Paul Collingwood is one Englishman with a soft spot for the underdogs. Collingwood gave up his first coaching role with Scotland, after helping the team qualify for next year's 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, to work alongside Ashley Giles at the World T20.
After the Bangladesh defeat he was dumped with Giles and the appointment of Moores ended any outside chance of a role for Collingwood in the new set-up. Scotland have capitalised, picking Collingwood's brains at a barbecue he hosted for them when they were playing a warm-up fixture in Durham last month, and it would be no surprise if he now returns to their staff at the World Cup . Scotland have, however, recently appointed Grant Bradburn, a low-profile New Zealander, to take over from Wright as their head coach, and the International Cricket Council announced on Thursday that the former Pakistan and Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore will also be available to the four associate nations in the competition as a consultant. After the Bangladesh defeat he was dumped with Giles and the appointment of Moores ended any outside chance of a role for Collingwood in the new set-up. Scotland have capitalised, picking Collingwood's brains at a barbecue he hosted for them when they were playing a warm-up fixture in Durham last month, and it would be no surprise if he now returns to their staff at the World Cup. Scotland have, however, recently appointed Grant Bradburn, a low-profile New Zealander, to take over from Wright as their head coach, and the International Cricket Council announced on Thursday that the former Pakistan and Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore will also be available to the four associate nations in the competition as a consultant.
Cook, who knows Coetzer well after they coincided in Perth one winter early in their careers, insisted there is no danger of England complacency, pointing to the bitter taste of that Bangladesh defeat lingering with six members of this squad. "It hasn't been mentioned, it was a different format, a while ago," he said. "But in that game they didn't turn up, did they? The guys who went through that won't want to go through it again.Cook, who knows Coetzer well after they coincided in Perth one winter early in their careers, insisted there is no danger of England complacency, pointing to the bitter taste of that Bangladesh defeat lingering with six members of this squad. "It hasn't been mentioned, it was a different format, a while ago," he said. "But in that game they didn't turn up, did they? The guys who went through that won't want to go through it again.
"If we play well, we'll be very hard to beat for Scotland. But in sport anything can happen – it's a banana-skin fixture, whatever you want to call it. If a couple of their guys have a good day, they can put us under pressure. We won't be underestimating them.""If we play well, we'll be very hard to beat for Scotland. But in sport anything can happen – it's a banana-skin fixture, whatever you want to call it. If a couple of their guys have a good day, they can put us under pressure. We won't be underestimating them."
It was noticeable that for this first fixture of a new era, England have travelled with a slightly slimmer matchday operation. Graham Thorpe is on hand as the limited-overs batting coach, as he would have been even before the departure of Graham Gooch, with that vacancy likely to be advertised soon. David Saker, the fast- bowling coach, has also travelled north.It was noticeable that for this first fixture of a new era, England have travelled with a slightly slimmer matchday operation. Graham Thorpe is on hand as the limited-overs batting coach, as he would have been even before the departure of Graham Gooch, with that vacancy likely to be advertised soon. David Saker, the fast- bowling coach, has also travelled north.
But there is no Richard Halsall, apparently confirming that he will not continue as fielding coach. While the wicketkeeping and spin bowling specialists, Bruce French and Mushtaq Ahmed, may not have travelled here anyway for a one-off game, they are in the same potentially unsettling position as most of the rest of the back-room staff, having been told by Moores to carry on as they were while he and Cook hatch their plans for the future.But there is no Richard Halsall, apparently confirming that he will not continue as fielding coach. While the wicketkeeping and spin bowling specialists, Bruce French and Mushtaq Ahmed, may not have travelled here anyway for a one-off game, they are in the same potentially unsettling position as most of the rest of the back-room staff, having been told by Moores to carry on as they were while he and Cook hatch their plans for the future.
Paul Farbrace, who was poached from Sri Lanka to work as Moores's assistant, worked on wicketkeeping with Jos Buttler while Phil Neale, the long-serving operations manager, helped Moores and Thorpe with fielding practice in the pleasant spring sunshine, as oystercatchers wheeled and piped overhead – perhaps uniquely for an international ground, the most northerly in international cricket.Paul Farbrace, who was poached from Sri Lanka to work as Moores's assistant, worked on wicketkeeping with Jos Buttler while Phil Neale, the long-serving operations manager, helped Moores and Thorpe with fielding practice in the pleasant spring sunshine, as oystercatchers wheeled and piped overhead – perhaps uniquely for an international ground, the most northerly in international cricket.
A source close to the team confirmed the reduction in the number of support staff is a deliberate change in approach – and that the catering staff at Mannofield, a well-heeled Aberdeen suburb, have not been presented with a diet sheet as exacting as those that caused such unintentional hilarity in Australia during the winter. There is quite an irony in an English cricket team arriving in Scotland, now of all times, stressing the need for its players to become more independent.A source close to the team confirmed the reduction in the number of support staff is a deliberate change in approach – and that the catering staff at Mannofield, a well-heeled Aberdeen suburb, have not been presented with a diet sheet as exacting as those that caused such unintentional hilarity in Australia during the winter. There is quite an irony in an English cricket team arriving in Scotland, now of all times, stressing the need for its players to become more independent.
Scotland v England ODI, Aberdeen, 10.30amScotland v England ODI, Aberdeen, 10.30am
England from Cook capt, Bell, Root, Ballance, Morgan, Buttler wkt, Bopara, Woakes, Jordan, Gurney, Anderson, Moeen Ali, Tredwell.England from Cook capt, Bell, Root, Ballance, Morgan, Buttler wkt, Bopara, Woakes, Jordan, Gurney, Anderson, Moeen Ali, Tredwell.
Scotland possible Coetzer capt, Coleman, Machan, MacLeod, Mommsen, Cross wkt, Taylor, Haq, Sharif, Taylor, Wardlaw.Scotland possible Coetzer capt, Coleman, Machan, MacLeod, Mommsen, Cross wkt, Taylor, Haq, Sharif, Taylor, Wardlaw.
Umpires M Hawthorne (NI) and I Ramage (Sco). Match referee J Crowe (NZ).Umpires M Hawthorne (NI) and I Ramage (Sco). Match referee J Crowe (NZ).