ALI Evans, the Derbyshire fast bowler, will today put a period of frustration behind him as he returns to the Scotland ranks for the first time in almost a year.

Evans is in line to spearhead the attack as the Scots bid to rekindle their Intercontinental Cup hopes with victory over Kenya at Mannofield, Aberdeen.

The 24-year-old was not present when the team's chances of reaching the final suffered a setback with defeat to Afghanistan in March. He failed to make the cut for the trip to Dubai when the selectors took advantage of the new qualification rules which allowed fellow pace bowlers Iain Wardlaw of Yorkshire and Leicestershire's Rob Taylor to increase the competition for places.

Wardlaw and Taylor, who took part in the ODI victories against the Kenyans in midweek, have returned to their counties, freeing up a place for Evans who remains on the fringes of the first team at Derbyshire, and the former Carlton bowler is determined to make the most of his chance after recovering from a series of injuries which have restricted his first-team appearances at the County Ground.

"It's always a privilege to play for Scotland and I'm really looking forward to playing my part if selected," said Evans. "The game comes at a good time for me because I am just returning from leg and side injuries which kept me out at an important time in the county season.

"But I played for the second XI during the week and I feel I am bowling really well. I bowled 17 overs in the first innings and although I didn't get any wickets my economy was just two-an-over. Some-times your job is to build the pressure and other guys will get the wickets."

That was the case when Evans appeared in Scotland's first match of this long I-Cup campaign against Holland in June 2011. He was wicket-less in a rain-affected match, also at Mannofield, but a catch he describes as "ridiculous" helped the Scots secure what may yet prove to be a crucial draw.

The Dutch looked capable of passing Scotland's first innings total to claim the points when Evans stuck out a hand and got the surprise of his life when the ball stuck to remove the dangerous Peter Borren.

"I totally mis-judged my position in the outfield and didn't account for the slope towards the Mannofield boundary," he said. "I saw the ball coming to me and ran in but the slope took me further than I meant to go and it looked as if the ball was going to sail over my head. For some reason I just stuck out my left hand and luckily the ball went straight in. The next thing I saw was Neil McCallum racing towards me to start the celebrations. It was a ridiculous catch! You have to enjoy moments like that. It's great to be involved again."

Evans has no complaints about the incomers whose Scottish parentage have given the selectors a greater pool from which to choose.

"I'd much rather have competition for places and have to work to earn my place in the side," he said. "That's what it's like at all the counties and it's good for Scottish cricket that we are in the same position. It's great to see the new guys coming in and playing a part."

It is not just in the bowling department that there is competition for places as the selection of two wicket-keepers – Matthew Cross and Craig Wallace – demonstrates.

Wallace, like Evans, could return for the first time since last August though coach Pete Steindl will not make his final choice until shortly before the start and has not ruled out playing both men with one performing as a specialist batsman.

Josh Davey is a likely starter after being freed by Middlesex for what is not a mandatory release fixture.

A full haul of 20 points would take the Scots into second place in the table going into their final fixture of the campaign against leaders Ireland when another win could see them finish in the top two. However, the likelihood is that they will need both Afghanistan and Namibia to slip up as well.

Squad: P Mommsen capt, F Coleman, J Davey, M Haq E Chalmers, R Berrington, C MacLeod, M Cross, M Iqbal, G Goudie, A Evans, C Wallace, C Burnett, D Nel.