After their agonising defeat to Afghanistan at the World Cup, Scotland's players were given a break from cricket to get over the disappointing loss and to recharge their batteries ahead of the clash against Bangladesh in Nelson on Thursday.
The World Cup continued to throw up thrilling results between the Associate sides as on Thursday Afghanistan beat Scotland by a single wicket at the University Oval in Dunedin.
Scotland captain Preston Mommsen believes that his side has the psychological advantage heading into their World Cup Pool A clash with Afghanistan in Dunedin on Thursday.
Scotland captain Preston Mommsen was disappointed by the margin of defeat against England in Christchurch on Monday, but hoped they'd be able to take some valuable lessons into the match against Afghanistan.
Scotland go into the game against England in Christchurch still searching for a maiden World Cup win, and they feel confident they can record that against a side under massive pressure from fans, and their own failures.
Scotland captain Preston Mommsen was pleased with the way his side fought back against New Zealand in Dunedin on Tuesday, despite going on to lose by three wickets and scoring just 142 runs.
New Zealand were expected to beat Scotland in Dunedin on Tuesday, and they did just that, but it was hardly convincing as they lost seven wickets on their way to a target of just 143.
The sixth match of the World Cup is probably the first match-up that's as unbalanced on paper as it is in reality. With Ireland beating the West Indies, it's not impossible for Scotland to win, but it's unlikely.
Scotland captain Preston Mommsen admits that his side will have a tough task on their hands if they want to beat co-hosts New Zealand, when the two teams meet at the University Oval in Dunedin on Tuesday.
For any cricketer, taking part in the World Cup is a special experience. But for players from Ireland and Scotland (and the other associate nations) this one holds particular significance.
Scotland gave the West Indies a serious run for their money in their World Cup warm-up on Thursday, and though it wasn't an official ODI, the Windies will be concerned that they won by just three runs.
All the cricket fixtures and results you'll need for the six weeks of World Cup action are here, and fixtures will become results as the games progress.
Against the backdrop of war and hardship, a severe lack of facilities and funds, cricket in Afghanistan has grown at a phenomenal pace in a dozen years.
Scotland caused somewhat of a stir just a few days before the World Cup gets underway by hammering Ireland by 179 runs at the Blacktown Olympic Park Oval in Sydney on Tuesday.
Scotland have stuck with the same 15-man squad that visited Australia and New Zealand on an acclimitisation mission late last year, and have kept Preston Mommsen as the skipper.
Former England batsman Paul Collingwood has once again committed to helping Scotland, rejoining their coaching staff in the lead in to the World Cup in February.
Scotland have named batsman Preston Mommsen as their skipper for the tour to Australia and New Zealand later this month, with Kyle Coetzer part of the squad but not in a leadership role.
Scotland batsman Calum MacLeod was the driving force behind his side's eight-wicket win against Ireland in Dublin on Friday, scoring an unbeaten century to avoid a series whitewash.
Ireland secured a three-wicket win over Scotland in the second ODI in Dublin on Wednesday, thus winning the three-match series and on the brink of a whitewash.
Fast bowler Craig Young's telling performance on debut led Ireland to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Scotland in Monday's first ODI at The Village in Malahide, Dublin.
Scotland batsman Michael Leask, surprisingly, beat England spinner James Tredwell to the Man of the Match award - after Friday's rain-affected one-off ODI at Mannofield Park in Aberdeen.
New head coach Peter Moores' tenure began with decent success on Friday, as England defeated Scotland by 29 runs in a one-off ODI severely truncated by inclement weather at Mannofield Park in Aberdeen.
Chief executive David Richardson has countered suggestion that the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption and security unit is proving ineffective.
Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer is looking forward to skippering his side against England in the one-off ODI in Aberdeen on Friday, hoping to hand another shock to the under-pressure side.
