DUNFERMLINE all rounder Safyaan Sharif made his Scotland Twenty20 debut on Friday evening at New Road, Worcester.

The fast bowler and hard-hitting right-hander has impressed the Saltires' selectors with his performances for the McKane Parkers this season.

He has been involved in international cricket at age group level for many years but the 20-year-old admitted to being a little surprised when he got the call to take on Worcestershire.

The Scots are still 'rookies' at this shorter form of the game and found the county lot very tough opposition.

Worcester posted 198 in their 20-over allotment with the Scots replying with 107 but Sharif described it as a tremendous experience for him, after bowling three overs for 28 runs and being out for two with the bat.

He said, "It is a completely different level to that which we play at home but you only can learn by playing the best and it was tremendous to be given the chance.

"I was pleased to get the call-up but it meant a pretty hectic 24-hour spell. I travelled down by road to Worcester during Friday, played the game and then headed back to Dunfermline for our SCPL game with Stirling County at McKane on Saturday." The travelling did not seem to affect the six-foot-plus paceman as he captured three wickets for very few runs as the West Fifers routed the Williamfielders by nine wickets.

Sharif, who is in his fourth season with Dunfermline, added, "It has been a good start to the season for me with 218 runs in four innings and eight wickets with the ball in the SCPL.

"I hope I can keep the form going which would give me a chance of featuring for Scotland against Holland in the Twenty20 series scheduled for the end of June in Aberdeen."