Scotland’s debutant pacer Charlie Cassell has broken the nine-year-old record to register the best bowling figures by a bowler on debut in One Day Internationals (ODIs), as he grabbed seven wickets, giving away just 21 runs in 5.4 overs, at an economy of under four against Oman at the Forthill ground in Dundee during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27.
Winning the toss, the home side captain Richie Berrington opted to bowl first. Coming as the first change bowler in the line-up, the 20-year-old right-arm fast bowler displayed accurate line and length to collect rewards.
Charlie Cassell wasn’t in the Scotland squad from the start, before he was added for the matches against Oman on July 15, as the replacement of another fast bowler Chris Sole, who was unavailable for personal reasons in the contests.
Charlie Cassell picked up 7/21 on ODI debut
The record of the best bowling figure on the 50-over debut belonged to South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, who picked up 6/16 during his maiden ODI game in 2015 against Bangladesh in Mirpur, while before him it was Fidel Edwards in 2003 from the West Indies, who ended with figures of 6/22 against Zimbabwe in Harare.
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Charlie Cassell made a sensational debut to his international career, having trapped the middle order Oman batter Zeeshan Maqsood, and broken the stumps of Aryan Khan on the very next ball. Even though he missed the chance to claim the hat-trick, the young bowler had Khalid Kail caught of his fourth ball.
He ended with a triple-wicket maiden for his first over in International cricket. When he found out Oman’s number seven batter Shoaib Khan caught in his second over, Charlie Cassell had unbelievable figures of 0/4 in 1.3 overs including the maiden first over.
Mehran Khan was the fifth wicket of the bowler, who gave a simple catch to Brandon McMullen, after which Cassell sent back the opening wicket-keeper batter Parthik Athavale on the latter’s score of 34.
With this new achievement, he also joins both Edwards and Rabada as the only bowlers to celebrate six wickets on ODI debut, before ending Oman’s innings by having number 11 batter Bilal Khan caught behind to pick up his record seventh wicket in his maiden international game.
‘You’ve come back from a huge setback, with that massive injury you had, put you out for a year and a bit.’ The Scotland captain Richie Berrington shared the words to Charlie Cassell while giving his maiden international cap. ‘Just to see your resilience coming back, getting back on the park, and just love watching what you do at Forfs (Forfashire), and just the way how you hold yourself is incredible.’
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Quite hard to trust, but that was his very first List-A game too, and to come up with this special match-winning performance is a good indication for Scotland cricket in the future. The hosts quite easily chased down the target of 92 runs, with eight wickets in hand, and more than 30 overs to spare.
McMullen remained unbeaten on 37 runs, as Scotland finds themselves at the second position of the points table with three wins in six games, including their victories Over Namibia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Their final game of the league stage is against Namibia on July 26, at the same Forthill ground in Dundee.
