GRANT BRADBURN, the Scotland coach, exudes an air of genuine excitement when discussing his side's prospects at next month's World Cup.
His team begin to put the finishing touches to their preparations this morning when they take on Afghanistan in Dubai in the first match of a Tri-Series which also features Ireland.
All three countries will be heading to the main event in Australasia, along with fellow Associate qualifier UAE, and the current set of games will give some idea as to how the so-called minnows might perform on cricket's biggest stage.
Scotland's two desert fixtures against the Afghans are indeed dress rehearsals since the pair will meet again in Pool A at the main event.
That fixture, in Dunedin on February 26, presents the Scots with their most obvious chance of fashioning a first-ever win at a World Cup, but Bradburn, while acknowledging the importance of matches against Associate rivals, has loftier priorities.
"We want to win cricket matches whenever we go on the field," said the New Zealander, who completed his first six months in charge on Hogmanay. "The Tri-Series games obviously come in to that category as they are all official ODIs and count for important ranking points.
"But the timing of this series so soon before the World Cup maybe means that the teams will have a slightly different emphasis, and we see the games as giving us valuable match-time as we build towards February.
"Our guys are absolutely itching to get back on the park and into full ODI mode, but it is important that we peak next month.
"We'll probably utilise the full squad in the games in Dubai and you'll maybe see us shuffling our bowling attack."
Bradburn is reluctant to discuss the relative merits of his team with those of Afghanistan or Ireland, but all three toured to New Zealand and Australia in the autumn as part of the ICC's World Cup preparation programme and Scotland's performances and results compared favourably.
The Scots managed victories against Tasmania and Wellington and also went within one run of a famous win against New Zealand.
Ireland achieved just one win and Afghanistan secured victories over Northern Districts and Auckland but were heavily beaten by New Zealand A and have since lost a series to the UAE.
However, now led by Andy Moles, the former Scotland coach, Afghanistan are still the highest-placed Associate nation in the ICC's official ODI rankings and are always a potent threat with their brand of fearless cricket.
Bradburn added: "We respect both Afghanistan and Ireland but I think there is too much comparison to them.
"I think we should be looking higher than Associate cricket and I honestly believe this young team can start flying.
"We have set our targets for the World Cup and these include taking down a top-ten nation. Our goals are lofty but realistic."
Whether Bradburn's team travel to Sydney next month with a couple of morale-boosting wins against the Afghans under their belts will be determined at the ICC Academy, Dubai, today and in the return match, a day/night encounter in Abu Dhabi next Wednesday.
Opening batsman Kyle Coetzer, who returned to top form during the autumn tour Down Under, said: "It would be nice to get one over them before the World Cup.
"They've got some dangerous players, and always have had, but we feel if you can get on top of them, they might crumble a bit.
"Having said that, they've always played very well against us in the past and we know it will be tough."
The games against Ireland take place on January 12 and 19.
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