Scotland must be cautious in chasing foreign legion

In the build-up to Scotland's third and final National League campaign which begins on Sunday against Durham, the signing of the South African Jonathan Beukes as the Saltires' second overseas professional will probably merit scant attention. A little-known player, but one who has nevertheless enjoyed a prolific season at Free State averaging 50-plus with the bat, Beukes should certainly feel at home when he arrives in Edinburgh this week, given the increasing number of foreign twangs within the ranks. Such an influx entitles a meagre Scottish contingent to question whether the Saltire has been hi-jacked by a burgeoning foreign legion.

Consider the evidence: when Craig Wright's team gained a stunning triumph on their debut in the National League, against Durham in 2003, they had eight Scottish-born personnel who were bolstered by a South African (Jon Kent), a Zimbabwean (Ryan Watson) and an Australian (Paul Hoffmann). This weekend, when the sides square up again, the possibility is that up to seven of the so-called Saltires will be overseas recruits: Watson, Hoffmann, Beukes, and the Pakistan allrounder Yasir Arafat being joined by the South Africans Cedric English and Dewald Nel and the Lahore-born Asim Butt. Even if Scotland's new coach Andy Moles is determined to show the ICC that his charges deserve full one-day status, it is worrying that more than half of the team is not Scottish.

Cricket Scotland's response has been simple: they argue that they are merely bolstering their reserves in line with the English counties, several of whom are packing their squads with so-called Kolpak signings. But this misses the point that Scotland's No 1 priority this summer must lie in qualifying for the 2007 World Cup at the ICC Trophy in July: a tournament from which both of their overseas players, Beukes and Arafat, will be excluded. In such circumstances, the proliferation of non-Scots actually prevents the selection of up-and-coming youngsters, as well as sending out the wrong signal to those with tenuous Caledonian connections that they should board the next flight from Cape Town or Canberra and speed off to Edinburgh in pursuit of a work permit and potential involvement in the next World Cup.

Given the debilitating effects this malaise has had on Scottish rugby's fortunes, it is timely to remind Cricket Scotland that their prime responsibility is in unearthing more home-grown talents - the Craig Wrights, Colin Smiths and Douglas Lockharts of the game - and not aiming for quick success with foreign imports, no matter how talented and likeable some of these individuals are. Hoffmann, for instance, has become a totemic figure with the fans, while Watson has entered the annals with his belligerent bludgeoning of various county attacks, and nobody is arguing that these players haven't served their adopted land well. Yet the Scots' fraternity is being out-numbered by imported recruits, who may not even be strictly necessary: remember that Wright's men thrived in the National League without being overly reliant on South Africans or Australians.

Perhaps we should heed the wise counsel of Dave Christie, the captain of the Freuchie stalwarts, who triumphed in the 1985 National Village Cup competition at Lord's. "It doesn't take a genius to notice how the mass influx of overseas signings at Rangers and Celtic and the majority of the other clubs in the Premierleague has had a negative impact on our national football side," said Christie, "and we should guard against a similar occurrence in cricket. If people aren't good enough to win caps for their own country - whether it be Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or wherever - they shouldn't be able to use the Saltire as a flag of convenience.

"I am really hard-nosed on this issue and, if it was up to me, I would introduce a regulation where a minimum of nine players from every SNCL club had to be eligible to represent Scotland. If we nurture our own talent, we have nothing to be frightened about in terms of moving ahead of the rest of the emerging nations. But we have to avoid the scenario - which I have seen at some organisations - where the first three or four in the batting order have foreign accents and they are stopping local lads from gaining an opportunity. That is plain daft."

On Monday, a Cricket Scotland source insisted that the deployment of Beukes was a pragmatic and precautionary move, as the improving Arafat might be called up to go to the West Indies next month. Also, he will only receive a match fee: the bulk of his income will be generated by his professional duties at Stenhousemuir. It may even transpire that the Cape Crusader proves to be a smash hit for the Saltires in the months ahead. But, please, let's not pretend he is any more Scottish than biltong or Andre Nel.