Glasgow, Feb 8 (IANS): Scotland have announced two squads led by Richie Berrington for the upcoming white-ball tour of the UAE from February 24 to March 14. The tour will consist of four ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 fixtures against Canada and the UAE, followed by three T20 internationals against the UAE.

Batter Andrew Umeed, 27, returns to the squad after a successful 2023 season with Somerset. The former U19 international made his Scotland debut against Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup in 2015.

Another returnee is Brad Wheal, whose most recent appearance was at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. Wheal is set to return to ODIs after his last appearance in the 50-over format for Scotland came way back in 2019.

“This tour is a great opportunity for our players to go out and compete in a variety of formats, and the selection has been about trying to find a balance, firstly between producing our strongest possible performances in the first round of CWCL2 matches, and secondly on having an eye on future demands.”

“It’s no secret that the Men’s squad haven’t had any matches for nearly six months, so it’s important we give as many people as possible an opportunity to play some cricket, whilst remaining competitive on the field. These squads give several players an opportunity to show what they can do, as we look ahead towards the T20 World Cup in the summer.”

“Andy Umeed has a very strong connection with the national setup, even though he hasn’t played for Scotland for some time. He’s a player of fine pedigree, and his performances last season for Somerset were outstanding in white-ball cricket. He’s keen to get involved and excited to represent his country, so it’s great for both parties,” said Steve Snell, Head of Performance.

Bowling all-rounder Scott Currie, the younger brother of Brad Currie, who made his Scotland debut last year, has earned a maiden call-up, as wicket-keeper batsman Charlie Tear and all-rounder James Dickinson.

“Scott Currie is obviously following in his brother’s footsteps, after Brad made such an impact for us last summer, but he’s a great player in his own right. He’s tall, bowls at a good pace, and is an excellent fielder and competitor like his brother.”

“Their family have a rich connection with Scotland, and in the conversations that I’ve had with Scott about playing for us, it’s clear he is deeply emotionally connected and the opportunity for him and Brad to play alongside each other for Scotland is huge. From our perspective, he absolutely enhances the quality in our squad.”

“Charlie Tear played phenomenally well for the Scotland U19 squad a couple of years ago and deserves his opportunity to step up. We have a skills gap at wicketkeeper since the retirement of Tom Mackintosh, and Charlie now has the chance to back-up Matt Cross with the gloves. He’s also a very strong batsman in his own right so it’s exciting to have him in the squad.”

“It’s important to incentivise and provide a pathway to our players who play locally, and I think James Dickinson is a good example of that with his inclusion. He’s performed really well in club cricket for several years, and what the coaches have seen in training is someone who can give the ball a really good rip as a leg-spinner in T20 cricket, which is hugely important,” added Snell.

The coaching team of Scotland will consist of Stevie Gilmour, Moneeb Iqbal, and Andy McKay. The trio assisted Doug Watson during last year’s successful ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier. Cricket Scotland said the recruitment process for a new men’s head coach is currently ongoing.

“We’re currently interviewing for the position of Men’s Head Coach, and we’ve been really impressed with the quality of the candidate pool and the level of interest from around the world. While the process is still ongoing, I’m confident we’ll appoint an individual who’ll make a really positive impact on cricket in Scotland.”

“There’s no specific time frame for announcing that appointment, but I’m really excited about the candidates we have. Ahead of concluding that process, Stevie Gilmour, Moneeb Iqbal, and Andy McKay will oversee the coaching for this tour.”

“One of the key areas I was aware of coming into this job was that we needed intellectual property and understanding of the players who have been in the squad. Stevie, Moneeb and Andy spent lots of time with the team last year and have that understanding of the group, which is really important just now.”

“It’ll be good for the players to have those three coaches with them in Dubai, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for some Scottish coaches to be involved in leading the national squad,” elaborated Snell.

Scotland ODI squad: Richie Berrington (c), Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Scott Currie, Chris Greaves, Michael Leask, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Hamza Tahir, Charlie Tear, Andrew Umeed, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal.

Scotland T20I squad: Richie Berrington (c), Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, James Dickinson, Chris Greaves, Oli Hairs, Jack Jarvis, Michael Leask, Gavin Main, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Andrew Umeed, Mark Watt.