The newly formed squad competed in the Over-60s Cricket World Cup in Canada, marking their first appearance in the tournament.

Members of the squad sought recognition for Scotland to compete in the tournament less than two years ago, gaining status as an official member of International Masters Cricket (IMC) thereafter.

Clark McConnachie, skipper of the Scotland team, said: "We looked forward to our participation in the World Cup with no expectations of winning, but with every hope of being able to compete with these teams, and we were in no doubt that in taking part we were about to experience the steepest of learning curves against sides and individuals including players who had in many cases represented their countries at a far higher level than we had."

The team played a warm-up match against Australia before the tournament began, putting up a strong fight against the 2024 winners.

Their group included cricket heavyweights England, New Zealand, and India, and while Scotland lost those encounters, the squad quickly proved they could compete at the highest level.

A standout moment came in their match against Zimbabwe, where Scotland secured their first-ever World Cup victory at this age level.

The team went on to defeat both the West Indies and the USA and narrowly lost to Wales by just nine runs in the 7th/8th place playoff.

Tim Preston-Jones, who scored 184 runs during the tournament, said: "There is no better feeling than singing Flower of Scotland before each game and experiencing other international anthems."

Graeme Garden led the team’s run tally with 284, earning a place in the team of the tournament.

Imran Ardees and Shahid Mahmood were standouts with the ball, taking 14 and nine wickets respectively.

The squad’s spirit and camaraderie also earned them the tournament’s Spirit of Cricket trophy, awarded by a panel of umpires and opposition captains for their attitude and conduct throughout the competition.

Off the field, the team joined England and Wales for a special evening event at the British Consulate in Toronto.

Renfrewshire contributed key players to the squad, including Ferguslie Cricket Club’s Tim Preston-Jones as opening batsman and Greenock Cricket Club’s Dave Sharma as opening bowler.

Both are residents of Houston.

Ayrshire’s Javaid Ahraf, known for his long career with Kelburne Cricket Club, also featured in the squad.

More local representation is also expected to follow in future tournaments.

The over-40s World Cup takes place next month in Guyana, with Renfrew’s Sahil Chopra named in the squad, while Kelburne players Douglas Wylie and Matt McMillin are hopefuls for the over-50s tournament in India in January 2027.

Top scoring batters (left) Tim Preston-Jones (184 runs) with (right) Graeme Garden (284) (Image: Supplied)

Preston-Jones said: "It’s been the experience of a lifetime to represent Scotland in Canada and it’s indicative of the growth of over age cricket in a very short space of time.

"In Canada, there were major Test umpires such as Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Billy Bowden (New Zealand) officiating, while Larry Gomes (ex West Indies) and Eddo Brandes (ex Zimbabwe), former Test players, were also in attendance, which gives an idea of how the event, and indeed interest in the sport at those age levels, has mushroomed so quickly."

The rapid expansion of Scottish seniors cricket is encouraging former international players to stay involved in the game.

Two former Scotland captains, Kyle Coetzer and Ryan Watson, are now playing regularly at Masters level.

Coetzer is set to travel to Guyana, while Watson hopes to be selected for the over-50s squad heading to India next year.

Anyone interested in getting involved with Masters cricket can contact Scottish Seniors Cricket through social media or via its official website.