Scotland national cricket team
The Scotland men's national cricket team represents the country of Scotland in international cricket and is administered by Cricket Scotland. They compete in international competitions organised by the International Cricket Council, including the Cricket World Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. They play most of their home matches at The Grange, Edinburgh, as well as at other venues around Scotland.
Scotland's history in cricket dates back to the 18th century, and during the 19th and 20th centuries they frequently played touring teams and counties. In 1992, the Scottish Cricket Union severed links with the ECB and in 1994 they became Associate Members of the International Cricket Council. The Scottish Cricket Union changed its name to Cricket Scotland in 2001.
Scotland have played in three ODI World Cups and five T20 World Cup tournaments. However, their first win in either of these events did not come until they beat Hong Kong in the 2016 T20 World Cup. Scotland have played in every ICC Intercontinental Cup tournament, winning the inaugural edition in 2004. In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Scotland and other ICC members after 1 January 2019 are a full T20I.
History
Before ICC Membership
The first recorded cricket match in Scotland took place in Alloa in 1785. It would be another eighty years, however, before Scotland's national side played their first full match, against the English county Surrey in 1865, which they won by 172 runs. The first Scottish Cricket Union was formed in 1879, and the national team beat Australia by 7 wickets three years later. The cricket union became defunct in 1883, and Grange Cricket Club took over the administration of the game until 1909. The first match against Ireland took place in Dublin in 1888, with Ireland winning.Scotland played their first match to be awarded first-class status against the touring Australians in 1905, with the Scottish side being captained to a draw by Hubert Johnston. They also played South Africa, West Indies, an all-Indian team, and New Zealand before the start of World War II. 1948 saw Australia visit Scotland for two games at the end of their tour of England. These games, both of which Australia won by an innings, were to be the last international games for Don Bradman. The Don signed off in typical style, making a fine unbeaten 123 in the second match. In 1954, Scotland hosted a three-match to the touring Pakistanis, which they lost by 10 wickets. Five years later, they held India to a draw.
The Pakistanis returned to Scotland in 1971, winning in Selkirk by 154 runs. The following year, Scotland gave the touring Australia side a scare in a low-scoring match, before succumbing to a six-wicket defeat. Scotland hosted New Zealand in 1978, losing by an innings and 157 runs.
English domestic cricket
As well as hosting touring sides, Scotland frequently played English first-class counties in the post-war period, and took part in the Benson & Hedges Cup for the first time in 1980. After enduring several winless seasons, their first Benson & Hedges victory came against Lancashire in 1986. Their second win came in 1990 when they beat Northamptonshire, a match in which a 20-year-old Dougie Brown took three wickets. When the tournament was reduced to the top eight County Championship teams for the 1999 season, they were unable to qualify and they did not rejoin the competition thereafter. In 1983, they took part in the NatWest Trophy. Their first win in the knockout competition came against Worcestershire in 1998. Gavin Haynes hit 74 and Man of the Match Craig Wright took 5/23 as Scotland sealed a famous four-run victory.In the following season, they made it to the third round of an expanded version of the competition, beating Nottinghamshire Cricket Board and Dorset County Cricket Club before losing to Surrey in the Third Round. When the tournament was rebranded the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, Scotland were unable to take part in the 2001 edition due to their appearance in the 2001 ICC Trophy. However they returned in 2002, enjoying wins over Middlesex Cricket Board and Dorset. In 2003, Scotland beat the Lancashire Cricket Board before losing out to Somerset. Similarly, the following year they enjoyed success against minor county Cumberland before losing to Essex.
In 2006 the tournament moved to a group stage, Scotland enjoyed a considerably better campaign, winning three games against first-class counties. Between 2007 and 2009, in what was now named the Friends Provident Trophy, Scotland won one game in each season. When the Friends Provident Trophy ended, Scotland joined the Clydesdale Bank 40, registering two victories in the 2010 edition. They won twice more in the 2011 season, when they adopted the name Scottish Saltires. However, in the following season they recorded just one victory, and their final season, in 2013, was winless. Then the Royal London Cup was launched in 2014, but no international teams were included. Since then, Cricket Scotland has expressed interest in playing in county cricket again, with the T20 Blast said to be their priority, but the Royal London Cup and The Hundred also of interest.
| Tournament Name | W | L | NR | Tournament Name | W | L | NR | Tournament Name | W | L | T | NR | |
| 1980 | Gillette Cup | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | John Player League | ||||||||
| 1981 | Natwest Trophy | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | John Player League | ||||||||
| 1982 | Natwest Trophy | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | John Player Special League | ||||||||
| 1983 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 3 | 1 | John Player Special League | |||||
| 1984 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | John Player Special League | ||||||
| 1985 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | John Player Special League | ||||||
| 1986 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 1 | 3 | John Player Special League | ||||||
| 1987 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | Refuge Assurance League | ||||||
| 1988 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 3 | 1 | Refuge Assurance League | |||||
| 1989 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | Refuge Assurance League | ||||||
| 1990 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 1 | 3 | Refuge Assurance League | ||||||
| 1991 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | Refuge Assurance League | ||||||
| 1992 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 3 | 1 | Sunday League | |||||
| 1993 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 1 | Axa Equity & Law League | ||||||
| 1994 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 1 | Axa Equity & Law League | ||||||
| 1995 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | Axa Equity & Law League | ||||||
| 1996 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 4 | Axa Equity & Law League | ||||||
| 1997 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 3 | 1 | Axa Life League | |||||
| 1998 | Natwest Trophy | 1 | 1 | B&H Cup | 0 | 3 | 1 | Axa League | |||||
| 1999 | Natwest Trophy | 2 | 1 | CGU National League | |||||||||
| 2000 | Natwest Trophy | 0 | 1 | Norwich Union National League | |||||||||
| 2001 | C&G Trophy | Norwich Union League | |||||||||||
| 2002 | C&G Trophy | 2 | 1 | Norwich Union League | |||||||||
| 2003 | C&G Trophy | 1 | 1 | ECB National League | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 2004 | C&G Trophy | 1 | 1 | Totesport League | 2 | 14 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| 2005 | C&G Trophy | 0 | 1 | Totesport League | 2 | 14 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2006 | C&G Trophy | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 2007 | Friends Provident Trophy | 1 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2008 | Friends Provident Trophy | 1 | 6 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2009 | Friends Provident Trophy | 1 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 2010 | Clydesdale Bank 40 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||
| 2011 | Clydesdale Bank 40 | 2 | 9 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2012 | Clydesdale Bank 40 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |||||||||
| 2013 | Yorkshire Bank 40 | 0 | 11 | 1 |