Scotland to host World Cup qualifiers in 2013

Scotland will host the next ICC Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament in 2013, Cricket Scotland has announced. Its chief executive Roddy Smith confirmed the decision, following a Board meeting in December, where it was formally agreed to accept the ICC's invitation to stage the event.

The ICC is yet to make public this decision.

"We are delighted to be invited to host this event, and it is too good an opportunity to miss this chance to compete for a World Cup place in our own familiar environment," Smith said.

"It will certainly provide a focus for the sport in Scotland, and we are fortunate in the Associate cricket world to have so many high-quality facilities available throughout the country for this purpose."

A favourable report from Andy Atkinson, the ICC's official pitch inspector, led to the recommendation that Scotland host the event that decides which of the Associate member countries will make the cut for the 2015 World Cup.

The qualifying tournament is slated for July 2013 and the initial plan is to involve up to 11 venues to stage the warm-up games and the actual matches.

The potential venues will be scanned further by Cricket Scotland's facilities committee, headed by Board director Jim Mcfadyen, to ensure that all necessary work is done to bring them up to the required standards in the coming three years.