Cricket-Late shipment threatens debut of Cricket Scotland tartan

By Nick Mulvenney SYDNEY, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A specially commissioned tartan that Scotland were set to wear on their shirts at the World Cup might not now make an appearance at the tournament after a delay in a shipment from China. The distinctly Scottish pattern, with a design based on the clan tartan of 19th century test cricketer Gregor MacGregor, was due to feature on the sleeves of the match shirts of the team, who are appearing at a third World Cup. The batch of shirts were due to be delivered to the team in Australia but the delay means they might not arrive before the Scots decamp to New Zealand, where they face the co-host nation in their tournament opener in Dunedin on Tuesday. Scotland do not return across the Tasman Sea until they head to Hobart in mid-March for their last two pool matches against Sri Lanka and Australia. "We knew it was going to be tight, but not this tight," team spokesman Ben Fox told Reuters. "If they don't get here then we'll go with the shirts we've got, which are ICC compliant, and sadly I don't think the new shirts will see the light of day." Despite the lack of tartan, there were at least a few reminders that it was Scotland playing West Indies in a warm-up match at Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. Both the Saltire and the Royal Standard of Scotland were flying above the historic Members Pavilion at the ground, while the unmistakable sound of bagpipes welcomed the Scottish batsmen onto the field with a rendition of "Scotland the Brave". (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Amlan Chakraborty)