Match preview: Australia v Scotland

2015 World Cup

Cricket365
March 24, 2015

Venue

Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Team news

While the teams taking part in this game in Tasmania will find it important, the other side keeping a close eye will be South Africa, as the result could determine who they face in the quarter-finals.

With weather threatening to wash this game out, a single point to the Aussies will see them end in third place, setting up a final eight game against the Proteas. A win for the Aussies will push them to second, leaving the Sri Lankans to face AB de Villiers and co.

Scotland, meanwhile, are without a win here and in any World Cup, and will be keen to put on a good showing in their final outing, especially if the ICC have their way with a 10-team event in 2019.

The Aussies have made one change to the side, dropping spinner Xavier Doherty in favour of paceman Pat Cummins, who pipped Josh Hazlewood to the post to bowl alongside the Mitchells Johnson and Starc.

Skipper Michael Clarke has hinted that all-rounder Shane Watson may again be moved around the batting order, having batted at six last time out but possibly playing at five this time, as they look to get him back to form.

Scotland will be without their most experienced player, Majid Haq, after he was sent home for sending a tweet that broke their code of conduct. They do have Richie Berrington to call on though, after he was cleared of the injury niggle from earlier in the week.

Last encounter

Their most recent meeting was in Edinburgh in 2013, the fourth of four defeats for the Scots against the Aussies. That game saw the visitors win by 200 runs at the Grange Cricket Club, with Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh scoring big tons. Scotland were all out for 162, as Mitchell Johnson bagged four wickets.

World Cup meetings

They did not clash at the 2011 event, but 2007 saw the Aussies again win by a massive margin. Ricky Ponting's century saw his side make 334 for six, before Glenn McGrath and Shaun Tait shared the spoils to remove the Scots for 131, despite Colin Smith's 51.

The 1999 event, their only other World Cup meeting, saw Australia win by six wickets in Worcester.Scotland made 181 for seven, Shane Warne the main wicket-taker, before Mark Waugh's half ton saw them claim the points.

Key players

For Australia, paceman Mitchell Johnson has been a bogey man for Scotland before, and is likely to be again. He's been a bit in Mitchell Starc's shadow this tournament, and will be eager to add some 'easy' wickets to his records.

Scotland will also look to a bowler, with Josh Davey currently second on the wicket-taking list, the only Associate bowler in the top 10. He has been excellent in every game, always in vain, and will prize some Aussie scalps.

Umpires

Richard Illingworth and Ian Gould, Joel Wilson (3rd umpire), Jeff Crowe (match referee)

Weather

The match is due to start at 2:30pm, and the rain is forecast to arrive at around the same time, with a high chance that it won't let up. Do not bet on a full game.

Prediction

If there's a game, the Aussies will bag the two points.