Moles calls for more Scots to head south

Andy Moles: 'If our 10 best guys were all based down south, on professional contracts, that would be good' © Cricinfo

One would require a giant-sized microscope to detect any sign of a shrinking violet in Andy Moles' temperament. Ever since he arrived in the role of Scottish coach, hired on an initial six-month contract at the end of February, this beetle-browed Englishman has flung himself into the job with the sort of restless energy which testifies to his recognition that he is a man on a mission with the clock ticking relentlessly in the background. Quite simply, his future and that of Scottish cricket as a whole, are on the line for the next fortnight. If, at the climax of that period, Moles can permit himself a sliver of relaxation, then the sport in these parts will have been transformed as never before.

In some respects, it is a daunting challenge for a fellow who has hardly found time to get his feet under the desk before the possibility of having to depart his office in Edinburgh rears its head. Nonetheless, if Moles is beset with butterflies or thoughts of what might transpire if his charges come a cropper in their ICC Trophy group against Oman, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, Canada and Holland, he is hiding it well. The last trio of that aforementioned quintet may have appeared at the last World Cup, and are therefore not to be dismissed lightly, but despite a worrying tendency from the Scots to fall short in these high-intensity programmes - they must tackle five matches in seven days - Moles has witnessed enough signs of resurgence from his personnel to ooze bullish confidence on the eve of battle. The Saltires, after all, have defeated both Warwickshire and Somerset and tied with Derbyshire in their last six Sunday League encounters and that was minus the likes of Dougie Brown, John Blain and Kyle Coetzer stepping up to the plate.

"If I am being honest, we struggled with a lack of practice at the beginning of the season, because there was so much wet weather, but I have always insisted that the more games we play, the better we will become, and although it was slightly disappointing not to win at least two of these matches on the bounce last week, we defeated Somerset, who had just beaten the Australians, we drew with Derby and would have triumphed but for a terrific hundred from their opener [ Mike Di Venuto] and we were competitive for most of the proceedings at Leicester, before running out of steam," says Moles, who makes no secret of his desire that as many Scots as possible are participating on the English county circuit.

"It's just my personal view, but if our 10 best guys were all based down south, on professional contracts, that would be good, both for them and for us. Okay, we might not have them available for C & G Trophy fixtures, but our task as coaches is to bring as many lads through as we can and my message to some of our better Under-19s would be: "C'mon, show us what you can do, put yourself in the shop window, and if you attract the attention of an English side, you will go there with our blessing. In the long run, it can only be a positive step for Scotland's future and clearly that is something which we will be hoping to sort out, following the ICC Trophy.

"For the moment, though, the whole focus has to be on Ireland and we have to avoid distractions elsewhere. Yes, I know that in the background, World Cup qualification would open all kinds of doors for us, from Scotland being granted full ODI status, to the prospect of the international team securing Lottery funding and possible recognition from the Scottish Institute of Sport. But nothing matters, except that we reach our potential throughout these five games - if we do, I am 100% convinced that we will advance to the semi-finals - and the rest has to go on the back burner. If we bring all the pieces together, we shouldn't face any insurmountable difficulties, given the depth of commitment and talent within our squad.

"But the other countries will be venturing there with the same hunger and it will be down to which sides cope best with the pressure and grab the chances going, whether in the field or with bat and ball. None of our rivals have enjoyed more action against county opposition, so that should be to our advantage, but I suppose it all boils down to getting the tactics and game plan right and we have enough lads with the ability, experience and savvy to succeed. It's time for action, not words."

From the periphery, it should be observed that Moles' previous demands for his batsmen to convert their cameos into full-blown works of art have rarely been fulfilled, except by Colin Smith, and individuals such as Fraser Watts, Greig Williamson, Dewald Nel and Gavin Hamilton, the latter restored to the Saltires' colours, have been consistent solely in their inconsistency. Much will depend on the evergreen Brown, a professional to his bootstraps, and the exertions of the indefatigable Craig Wright, Paul Hoffmann and Ryan Watson. But, ultimately, there will be no excuses for failure to finish in the top five and the consequences of that outcome are almost too dismal to comprehend.

"Nobody owes us anything, as the boys are perfectly aware. They are an intelligent bunch, and even from the short time that I have spent in Scotland, I know I want to be involved in what happens after this tournament," says Moles. "If we qualify, that should pretty much look after itself, but everything is dependent on this event, and we have to put the blinkers on and shut out anything else, because you can be absolutely sure that the ICC will be studying developments closely over the next couple of weeks."

The spoils could scarcely be greater, nor the motivation higher. Four years ago in Canada, Scotland contrived to discover new methods of self-destruction when it seemed easier to complete the task. On this occasion, there is no margin for error.