Andy Tennant, Scotland's caretaker coach, watched his charges destroy a weak Dutch side on Saturday and admitted he is developing a liking for his new position.

Tennant's team took less than three days to overwhelm the Netherlands by an innings and 59 runs to kickstart their Intercontinental Cup campaign.

Such was Scotland's dominance that they could even afford the luxury of 10 dropped catches on the opening day before surging back to win with a day to spare.

Tennant, the former Prestwick and Scotland spinner, refused to get carried away with the result given the rather flimsy challenge provided by a Dutch side which was denied at least six first-choice players.

He knows it will be far tougher when the side travels to Belfast for their next four-day Test against current holders Ireland.

Tennant is just sorry he won't be with the team at Stormont due to family commitments made before the national coaching vacancy arose.

The 37-year-old senses a new mood of optimism spreading through the dressing-room and would like to remain a part of it - at least in the short-term.

Indeed, having ruled himself out of contention for the permanent job as recently as a fortnight ago, Tennant's attitude appears to be softening.

He said: "The job is looking more attractive to me than it did a few weeks ago. The more you work with this group of players, the more you want to continue to do so.

"I just don't think it's my time at the moment, but I'd never say never.

"I have a sense of what type of coach is needed and that is someone who can work with the players to improve their individual games, motivate them and bond them as a unit.

"We don't need someone to come in and revolutionise things and we don't need a blood-and-guts man."

Such a photofit might be used to describe Tennant himself but, for the moment, Cricket Scotland's head of edu-cation and development must hand over to the organisation's youth development manager, Pete Steindl, who will lead the side on their next assignment.

Tennant added: "Continuity is a great thing and so I'm disappointed not to be involved next weekend but Pete and I have similar philosophies about how the game should be played and I'm sure he will do a great job with the lads in Ireland."

Of the win over the Netherlands, he added: "After a ropey first day, we came back at them hard with a couple of guys scoring big centuries and John Blain taking eight wickets in the match."

Captain Ryan Watson was somewhat controversially handed the man-of-the-match award ahead of both Blain and Neil McCallum.

While Watson's 154 was a superb effort, McCallum's contribution to a record fourth-wicket stand of 220 was perhaps even more noteworthy.

The Grange player stroked his highest first-class score of 181 in a vigil which lasted a marathon 423 minutes, during which he faced 254 deliveries, hitting three 6s and 19 fours.

Nor should the efforts of the bowlers be overlooked as Scotland raced to victory on Saturday afternoon.

Having established a lead of 197, largely through the efforts of Watson and McCallum, the Scots were in no mood to repeat Thursday's fielding mishaps.

Instead ,Blain and Paul Hoffmann ripped through the Dutch top order to reduce the visitors to 49-5, a position from which there was no way back.

Blain added to his five first- innings wickets with 3-34, while 37-year-old Hoffmann, with 3-33, gave yet another performance which screamed a message to the selectors: if you're good enough, you're young enough.