Scots hope this is not final World Cup fling
By Peter Rutherford
March 9 (Reuters) - Given that Scotland still have a mountain to climb to 勝利，勝つ their first ever cricket World Cup game, it is a pity that tales of bowler Iain Wardlaw 規模ing 開始する エベレスト turned out to be nothing more than a joke that got out of 手渡す.
Cricket's 全世界の showpiece has 確認するd the Scots are a way from 存在 able to compete with the 最高の，を越す 実験（する） playing nations but they have shown glimpses of 質 and been 伴う／関わるd in some of the tournament's most enjoyable games.
After 簡潔に 脅すing co-hosts New Zealand in their opener, Scotland were beaten handily by England and Bangladesh but were on the 瀬戸際 of a milestone 勝利，勝つ against Afghanistan, losing a nailbiter in the final over.
Their six-wicket loss to Bangladesh on Thursday also featured the first World Cup century by a Scotland batsman, Kyle Coetzer 粉砕するing 156 at Saxton Oval in Nelson.
A bowling 部隊 that impressed in a comfortable 勝利，勝つ over Ireland ahead of the World Cup has been 選ぶd apart at times during the tournament but both Josh Davey and Wardlaw have enjoyed some success and collected some high-profile 犠牲者s.
権利-arm seamer Wardlaw took three wickets against New Zealand, 含むing those of in-form openers ツバメ Guptill and Brendon McCullum.
However, while he has been far from embarrassed on the field, Wardlaw has somewhat sheepishly had to 始める，決める the 記録，記録的な／記録する straight about his （人命などを）奪う，主張する to fame -- that he climbed エベレスト.
"A couple of years ago, when I first started with Scotland, we had a bit of a joke. Somehow it got misconstrued, put on the website and it spiralled out of 支配（する）／統制する," he told the BBC.
"It got 全く out of 手渡す. I had people from Nepal tweeting to say 'good luck, I'm sure it won't be as 堅い as climbing the mountain'."
NO JOKE
While Wardlaw's エベレスト （人命などを）奪う，主張する was made in jest, Scotland have been no joke at the World Cup. With the ICC 始める，決める to 削減（する） the number of teams at the next tournament to 10 from the 現在の 14, 資格 will become that much harder.
Scotland played 24 matches between the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, with just four of those against 実験（する） nations, and a continued 欠如（する） of （危険などに）さらす to 最高の，を越す level cricket could leave them caught up in a vicious circle.
One of four 非，不，無-実験（する） playing nations at the World Cup と一緒に Ireland, Afghanistan and 部隊d Arab 首長国s, "associates" Scotland needed more big-match experience between the エリート four-年一回の tournament, said 船長／主将 Preston Mommsen.
"For me what is even more important is what happens in between every World Cup and the fixtures that are made 利用できる to associate nations and the ... 量 of cricket they're playing at a high 質 level," he said.
"Because at the moment, it's やめる 明確に not enough."
Coetzer, Aberdeen born and bred にもかかわらず the South African-sounding 指名する, was disappointed at the 敗北・負かす to Bangladesh but hoped his 業績／成果 with the bat had helped Scotland 火刑／賭ける a （人命などを）奪う，主張する for 傾向 at 未来 tournaments.
"It's nice to show the world what we're 有能な of," he said.
< p>If the ICC go ahead with its 計画（する）s, however, it may be some time before we see the likes of Scotland at the World Cup again. (Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
