Gavin Hamilton Left Fearing for Scotland's Cricketing Future
The Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton has warned that Scotland's future in the world game is under threat
Gavin Hamilton warned tonight that Scotland were in danger of losing out on big matches and falling behind the rest of the cricket world unless they set up an academy and introduced full-time players. The Scotland captain was speaking after a 130-run defeat to South Africa meant his side became the first to be knocked out of the World Twenty20.
It was the second heaviest defeat in the history of Twenty20 internationals but Hamilton had no quarrel about the outcome. "Let's be realistic about the whole thing, South Africa are an absolutely fantastic outfit," said Hamilton. "They didn't give us any breathing space at all. The momentum was continuously with South Africa. We were always up against it if they set a semi-decent total. And when you're chasing over 10 an over you have to be on top of your game and we clearly weren't today.
"Their clean striking of the ball was outstanding. You don't really appreciate that until you're out there listening to the sound off the bat. We bowled too many slot balls but we were up against some of the best batters in the world."
But Hamilton was more concerned about the future of the game in the country. He said: "We can't keep sitting here making excuses. And big games like these are going to run out unless we do something about it. Cricket is going at a huge rate of knots and unless we keep up the gap is going to get bigger. Things must change. Everyone is going back to work tomorrow. We need an academy and we need half a dozen full-time players."
South Africa batted Scotland out of the match with a total of 211 for five after AB de Villiers struck a magnificent unbeaten 79 from 34 deliveries including five fours and six sixes.
Scotland never looked like getting close but Durham's Kyle Coetzer, who had produced a stunning catch to dismiss Mark Boucher, hit three sixes in a spirited 32-ball 42. "He quite clearly wants to play for England," Hamilton said of Coetzer. "You can't take that away from him and he's still young enough to do it."
It was the second heaviest defeat in the history of Twenty20 internationals but Hamilton had no quarrel about the outcome. "Let's be realistic about the whole thing, South Africa are an absolutely fantastic outfit," said Hamilton. "They didn't give us any breathing space at all. The momentum was continuously with South Africa. We were always up against it if they set a semi-decent total. And when you're chasing over 10 an over you have to be on top of your game and we clearly weren't today.
"Their clean striking of the ball was outstanding. You don't really appreciate that until you're out there listening to the sound off the bat. We bowled too many slot balls but we were up against some of the best batters in the world."
But Hamilton was more concerned about the future of the game in the country. He said: "We can't keep sitting here making excuses. And big games like these are going to run out unless we do something about it. Cricket is going at a huge rate of knots and unless we keep up the gap is going to get bigger. Things must change. Everyone is going back to work tomorrow. We need an academy and we need half a dozen full-time players."
South Africa batted Scotland out of the match with a total of 211 for five after AB de Villiers struck a magnificent unbeaten 79 from 34 deliveries including five fours and six sixes.
Scotland never looked like getting close but Durham's Kyle Coetzer, who had produced a stunning catch to dismiss Mark Boucher, hit three sixes in a spirited 32-ball 42. "He quite clearly wants to play for England," Hamilton said of Coetzer. "You can't take that away from him and he's still young enough to do it."
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