SCOTLAND are in talks with their English counterparts about an historic one-day cricket international between the countries at Lord’s, while also preparing to welcome Australia and New Zealand to Edinburgh next summer.

The Auld Enemy have never met competitively on English soil and Cricket Scotland chief executive Malcolm Cannon has been making the case.

He said: “I’ve spoken to my opposite number at the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] numerous times about this. Put it on at Lord’s and Scots would fill the place. There are probably more of us living in London than in Edinburgh so why not?

“England’s schedule is really busy but all we’re looking for is one day. And we will go to them. To be able to walk out at Lord’s for an England v Scotland game would just be incredible.”

The ECB’s control of Cricket Scotland’s broadcasting rights comes to an end this year and Cannon, who will leave his post next month after four years, says the extra finance could make a huge difference to his successor.

“For the last seven years England has owned our broadcast rights,” he said. “That finishes on December 31 so the new chief executive has the ability to negotiate a new deal with whoever they want.

“Of course you need content to broadcast and we’ve got New Zealand next year guaranteed and Australia 80 per cent over the line.

“Sky and BBC between them are going to be paying £255m a year for England’s matches from 2020 so that’s a £1bn deal over four years. Even if we only got one per cent of that, that would still be £2.5m a year. Those sorts of figures would be transformational.”

Scotland are edging closer to becoming a full member of the ICC themselves and Cannon says the financial benefits would be significant.

“Ireland went from receiving £1m a year from the ICC [International Cricket Council] to £5m after becoming a full member. So overnight we’d go from a £2m turnover business to £6m. There are still one or two boxes we need to tick but we’re closer than we’ve ever been.”