SCOTLAND skipper Ryan Watson is aiming to pull rank on understudy Fraser Watts this week by leading the country to a first-ever European Championship title.
The Forfarshire batsman has watched from afar as Watts masterminded Intercontinental Cup v
ictories over Bermuda and Canada in the past fortnight.
Watson's work commitments meant that he was one of five senior players missing when a makeshift Scotland side cruised to two highly impressive innings triumphs to keep alive slim hopes of a place in the final of the ICC's flagship four-day tournament for the Associate countries.
Now, though, Watson will reclaim leadership duties as the Scots head to Dublin for a European campaign during which they will aim to wrest the trophy from old foes Ireland.
The five-game programme opens with what should be three relatively straightforward encounters with Denmark on Friday, Italy the following day and a first clash at senior level with Norway on Monday July 28.
However, the tournament reaches its climax with official ODI matches against the Netherlands on July 29 and a potential title decider against the hosts and holders at Clontarf on July 31.
Watson joked: "I suppose I should be happy just to have my place back in the side after how well the guys have done over the last fortnight.
"I was beginning to worry a bit about Fraser's win ration as stand-in captain because he was also skipper when the guys beat Lancashire earlier in the season and he has only suffered one defeat in charge.
"But the best way for me to follow what he has done would be to lead Scotland to their first European title and that is our aim as we head out to Ireland."
Such is the growing strength in depth available to the national selectors that they have been able to omit Watts along with two of the star Intercontinental Cup performers in Dougie Lockhart and Ross Lyons at least from the first three matches.
The squad, though, will be bolstered for the business end of the tournament when Gavin Hamilton and Watts will certainly be drafted back into the squad. Hamilton scored a sparkling century when Scotland overpowered the Irish during their Tri-Series meeting at Mannofield earlier in the month.
However, the Ireland team which takes the field in Clontarf will bear little resemblance to the rag-tag bunch who were comprehensively outplayed in Aberdeen, bolstered as they will be by William Porterfield, Niall O'Brien and Eion Morgan – three players who are currently enjoying unprecedented success on the English county circuit.
"We know Ireland will come at us hard after what happened in Aberdeen," admitted Watson. "Porterfield, O'Brien and Morgan are all top-notch players and have all been in tremendous form for their counties.
"But we have to look at our own progress and it's really encouraging that we have managed to send a so-called under-strength side to Bermuda and Canada and come back with such fantastic results.
"A few years ago I don't think it would have been possible to do without five or six key players and beat these sides so convincingly.
"It's a sign that our under-age programmes are starting to bear fruit."
With Qasim Sheikh, Richie Berrington, Gordon Goudie and Omer Hussain all retained for the opening European skirmishes, the side will certainly have a youthful look and Lyons can doubtless count himself unfortunate not to be included after his seven wickets against Canada.
Watson added: "It's great that we have so many players pushing for selection. Ross has done really well over there after a spell in the wilderness so he is firmly back in the picture.
"As far as winning the European title is concerned, I think it would make a big statement about Scottish cricket.
"We've been in good positions to lift the trophy in the past only to push the self-destruct button but hopefully this time we can put it all together.
"The early games are against the so-called weaker teams but all of them are improving and our opener against Denmark is a potential banana skin because they ran us quite close in Scotland a couple of years ago."
Watson's side will also come up against former coach Peter Drinnen's Dutch side before what should be the defining match against Ireland.
"Even with their big players back we should have a slight psychological edge after the game in Aberdeen.
"The three county guys are all left-handers and our boys enjoy bowling at lefties while their bowling attack is not as strong as it might be and – touch wood – we can take advantage of that."
The full article contains 793 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
