Jokes at their expense

At 500-1 to win the tournament Scotland, making their World Cup debut, are given little chance of winning a game, let alone a toss.

They have just two young professionals in their ranks — the rest have had to ask their employers for time off work to take part — and the team is the only one in the competition yet to be recognised with one-day status by the International Cricket Council.

Their two most famous players are both long retired; Mike Denness, who migrated south to captain Kent and England, and Andy Goram, capped 43 times as goalkeeper of the national football team and five times as a bowler before he put his whites away for good in 1991.

There is somecause for optimism, however. In coach Jim Love and bowling coach Graham Dilley, Scotland have real know-how. Love played three one-day internationals for England in the 1980s and had a successful career as a hard-hitting batmsman with Yorkshire. Dilley was a successful pace-bowler for England during the Ian Botham era.

They have even employed a sports consultant and a psychologist to show they are taking things seriously.

The team has a dream — win at least two group B games by beating Bangladesh and New Zealand in Edingburgh — and a realistic target — put up such a good show that the ICC will be impressed and Scotland’s youngsters will be inspired.

Love says: "We’re not going to say we will beat people, that would be silly, but if we can go out and compete who knows what might happen?"

The Scots had hoped for a game against the auld enemy’ England to whip up domestic passions "a match with them would be bound to stir up some interest," says Salmond but instead they will complete their campaignagainst Australia, Pakistan and the West Indies.

To impress, they will rely heavily on their two full-timers, the 24-year-old all-rounder Gavin Hamilton of Yorkshire and John Blain, 20, of Northamptonshire.Hamilton had been short-listed for England’s provisional World Cup squad but made himself available after the ICC ruled that playing for Scotland would not jeopard ise his future with England.

Scotland

George Salmond (captain), Mike Allingham, John Blair, James Brindley, Asim Butt, Alec Davies, Nick Dyer, Gavin Hamilton, Bruce Patterson, Iain Philip, Keith Sh Eridan, Mike Smith, Ian Stranger, Peter Steindl, Greig Williamson