Aberdeenshire cricket coach Neil MacRae has been head-hunted to manage the Austria national team.

MacRae, who led the Mannofield club to a Scottish National League and cup double last year, will travel to Vienna this weekend.

He was approached by the Austrians after impressing ICC Europe staff at a coaching camp earlier this year and accepted his new role after receiving assurances he can remain as player-coach of Aberdeenshire.

The 38-year-old, who combines his coaching role at Mannofield with a position with Cricket Scotland as coach of the Highlands regional side, said: �The Austria job came out of the blue, but I look on it as another major cricketing challenge.

�It is a part-time position and will let me continue with Aberdeenshire, which was a major factor for me.

�Going to Austria is very much a step into the unknown, but it is a great opportunity to cut my teeth as coach of a national team.

�It will equate to around four visits over the year.

�This in no way diminishes my dedication to Aberdeenshire or the Highlanders.�

Austria, an affiliate member of the ICC, are ranked a lowly 22nd in Europe and boast only a few hundred club players.

However, MacRae added: �In international terms the Austrians may be well down the pecking order but so were Afghanistan a few years ago.

�They have to be the model for all emerging nations. If you get a team which plays for each other and builds momentum together you can see what is possible. I will meet them this weekend and they are competing in a triangular tournament with Switzerland and the Czech Republic. I will be able to assess them and put a structure in place for the future.

�The main target is the World Cricket League Twenty20 fixtures next summer.�

MacRae�s reputation as a coach rose further last weekend when he guided unfancied Caledonia Highlanders to Scottish cricket�s first Regional Series title with victory against favourites Eastern Knights. He is also expected to remain as Highlanders coach next season.