the Saltires' results midway through their CB40 campaign have been dismal, yet the team's performances point towards a much brighter future for the national side.

A week that has brought news of increased one-day international opportunities for the full Scotland team, as pressure grows for the reinstatement of the developing nations in the sport’s World Cup began with two more defeats for the Saltires, bringing the tally of losses to six from six matches.

However, this is a team that is being rebuilt and was without its one permitted overseas import, Luke Butterworth, the Tasmanian all-rounder whose broken toe had rendered him unable to bowl.

The level of interest at Citylets Grange, with just a smattering of spectators, offered some indication of the importance of the CB40 to Scottish cricket in its own right. Yet these matches, against full-time professional, first-class opposition, are vital to the development of the national team ahead of much more important competitions.

That was reflected in the view of Fraser Watts, who, along with fellow 30-something Neil McCallum, brought a bit of experience back to the side this week.

In a squad that contains players who were born in the 1990s, they are both children of the 1970s, but they demonstrated their value with a pair of half-centuries, McCallum top-scoring against Surrey on Sunday, then Watts doing likewise against Durham on Monday.

“A lot of positives have to be taken from the games thus far; the team’s definitely heading in the right direction,” he said. “These games against top-quality opposition are always good. We want to play as many as we can and, hopefully, it will get us ready for the international matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka later in the summer.”

Watts made his international debut against Bangladesh in 1998 –his current team-mate Josh Davey was then just eight years old – and expressed the view that the depth of talent now emerging is greater than at any stage in his career.

“A lot of development work has been done over the last nine or 10 years but, over the last couple of years, we have really seen people who have real potential coming through,” he said. “Guys like Richie Berrington have really established themselves in the side even though they are still young players, and more and more are showing they deserve a place in the side.

“You look at someone like Calvin Burnett who has only been in the side for two or three matches but looks as if he belongs, whereas in the past it took people 10 to 15 matches to get up to pace.”

For all that he was the top scorer for the Saltires, 31-year-old Watts – he is now Scotland’s all-time third- highest run-scorer, behind his former team-mates Ryan Watson and Ian Philip – reckoned he had been outshone in partnership with his 23-year-old clubmate Preston Mommsen in the course of those two home matches.

“I’m glad to be back in the side and getting a few runs, but Preston’s in a lot better nick than I am. He is striking the ball beautifully and the move down the order has let him flourish,” Watts added.

Organisers of the CB40 might not like to think so but it is in that context that Scotland’s performances in this competition must be seen.

Mommsen and Burnett are by no means alone in having demonstrated, at least in cameo performances, that they have the capacity not only to cope but to shine against this level of opposition.

After 21-year-old Ewan Chalmers set the tone with a match-winning century against the MCC at Lord’s, he and Mommsen both produced half-centuries in Scotland’s opening two CB40 matches before Davey then followed a 50 at Surrey with the Saltires’ competition best so far this season, 91, at Warwickshire.

They have had a tougher time with ball in hand but the nine wickets that the opening pair, Matty Parker (5-47) and Gordon Goudie (4-36), shared against Warwickshire indicated that they have the capacity to set things up better for Majid Haq, the team’s best bowler.

Most important of all is the way Scotland have been going about their work, showing the sort of aggression that is required in the modern game, with the coach, Pete Steindl, taking particular encouragement from improving run-rates when batting.

Ahead of the forthcoming One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka and Ireland, when the team can expect closer scrutiny, there was even reason to be cheerful about the nature of the most recent defeat.

A hefty 80-run loss to Durham was tough to take, given that Scotland fielded and batted well at different stages, but it would have been nothing like as heavy if Kyle Coetzer had not been playing for the visitors.

Since the expectation is that the Aberdonian will be available for that triangular tournament at Citylets Grange there should be a significant net gain for the Scots, as he can replace Butterworth in a squad that may have been disappointed by the Australian’s unavailability this week but which should benefit long-term from others having had to take on additional responsibility.

kevin ferrie

kevin.ferrie@heraldandtimes.co.uk