Coetzer makes pitch for more international cricket in Aberdeen

Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer hopes Mannofield can host more internationals in years to come.

International cricket returned to the Granite City after a five-year absence with the Saltires playing four matches at the start of their 2023 World Cup qualification bid.

The last of those games in the Cricket World Cup League Two group was the 38-run win over Papua New Guinea.

For Aberdonian Coetzer, who made scores of 56, 96 and 62 during the week, playing in his home city was a positive both on and off the field.

Prior to the recent games against Oman and Papua New Guinea, Mannofield’s last international was against England in 2014.

Coetzer, 35, said: “It’s been great being back in Aberdeen and it would be nice to play a few more games here in years to come.

“I’ve got plenty of good memories of walking out at Mannofield even if it wasn’t my home ground – it was always the home of our rivals when I played for Stoneywood-Dyce.

“It gives me a chance to see family, too. It was my daughter’s birthday when I was here.

“It’s been good for me, but it’s also been good to show some of the other guys Aberdeen because we haven’t been up here for an extended period for quite a while.

“There are a number of things that come into where we play. Tactically I think we’ve got to pick grounds that suit where we play more often than not.

“There are plenty of questions about whether Aberdeen is that for us at the moment, but there’s no doubt that could change.

“It’s an amazing venue for cricket with the clubhouse and the facilities.

“If you go back five years to when England were here the ground was packed out.

“If we’re all on the same page trying to figure out what we need to host expansive, exciting games of cricket people want to watch, it would be amazing.”

In December the Saltires play the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and America in the next round of League Two fixtures in the UAE.

But before that they are in 20-over action in Zimbabwe in October as one of 14 teams in qualifying for next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The top-six progress and Coetzer added: “It’s a huge competition and the importance of it is just massive.

“These tournaments come at you thick and fast and it’s about peaking at the right time.”