WATT READY TO SPIN SCOTS TO SUCCESS AGAINST AUSTRALIA
It’s been a summer full of silverware for Mark Watt, but the Scotland spinner is eyeing up Australia as the biggest scalp of all in 2024.
Scotland and Australia clash on Wednesday at The Grange Club in the first of three T20 internationals, and Watt, who lifted three trophies in August as part of the Oval Invincibles and Heriot’s squads, is full of confidence about causing a seismic Scottish upset.
It’s three months since Watt and his teammates pushed Australia to the wire at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Now, in the last embers of summer, talk is turning to redemption.
“I think we’re after a little bit of blood this week, and not just win a game but win the series”, said Watt.
“We can definitely take inspiration from that game in St Lucia, but we also have a little bit of a point to prove, as we all believe we should have won that game and kicked on further in the World Cup. We can say we got close, but actually in the back of our heads we’re disappointed that we didn’t win.
“I think it would be a great ending to the year and our home summer. We did so well in the Caribbean, then won three games in Cricket World Cup League Two, so the boys are in a great space.
“I think it would be right up there, not just winning one game, but winning the series – that would be right up there with the best achievement Scotland have ever had.”
Since that agonising defeat in St Lucia in June, which knocked the Scots out on run-rate, Watt had his first experience of The Hundred with the Invincibles. While he didn’t make any matchday XIs, he – literally – noted the experience as worthwhile.
“I took a journal for a month and picked up on what the best in the world do, and tried to see if that would work for me. You pick up these little habits and if they don’t work for you, so be it, but if they do, you’ve made yourself better.”
“It was a brilliant month, and just a great set-up. The level of players you’re playing against and training with is pretty incredible, so to be involved in that environment for a month, even though I wasn’t playing, you learn a lot just from training and being around the guys.
One of his Oval Invincibles teammates, Adam Zampa, kept Watt on the sidelines in London – this week he and the Australian, ranked no.8 in the world in T20 cricket, will face off in Edinburgh.
“Nathan Sowter and Adam both bowled incredibly throughout the whole tournament, so I knew where I sat and that was absolutely fine. It’s one of those things in sport where you need to get on with it, put a smile on your face and be a team man, there’s no time for moping around at that sort of level.
“I’ve talked about this series enough with him for the last month, telling him what I’m going to do to him, so hopefully I get a chance not just to bowl against him but to bat against him as well!
Domestically – when he’s been available – Watt has also helped Heriot’s to a Scottish Cup and EPL double. It’s a winning mindset that’s central to Scotland Head Coach Doug Watson’s plans for growth and success; reversing June’s result against Australia this week would be a huge step in the right direction.