At Worcester against Australia Salmond had lost the toss and Scotland had to bat first making a respectable 181

At Worcester against Australia Salmond had lost the toss and Scotland had to bat first, making a respectable 181 for 7. "There's a lot of pride in that dressing room," said Salmond after the defeat by Pakistan.The roller-coaster ride against Pakistan at the Riverside ground in Chester- le-Street on Thursday was like nothing else this team have ever experienced. It is not a matter of nationalism ("politics is utterly irrelevant to us"); more the inspiration of national pride. Phillip, who plays in the other Perth in the winter, and has the highest score by a Scotland player (234 against MCC in 1991), believes he is a better player wearing a Scotland cap. He remembers the 80s, when a batsman who had scored 35 or so would blithely assume his innings would guarantee another few caps. He has more than 100 caps, and he has watched the growing commitment of the Scottish team. The Scots have begun to take international cricket seriously, and when the cup ends for them, they will have to start to think whether they want to try to compete with the top teams or to sink back among the also-rans.At the age of 40, Iain Phillip is the oldest player in the Cup.

If that means abandoning last week's adventurous streak, so be it. Scotland play Bangladesh, another of the tournament's minnows, and Salmond is "desperate" to win. Although the Scots lost both games - by six wickets and 93 runs - Salmond was confident his risk had paid off: "I don't think we disgraced ourselves in any shape or form." But tomorrow all bets are off. "You always run the risk of being bowled out for a low score, but better that than just getting 130 odd for four or five wickets," says the skipper, a smiling, moon-faced, primary school teacher who leads by example. It was a choice between being bloody, bold and resolute, or wimps Not much of a choice really. The team solemnly discussed the choice before their two games last week against Australia and Pakistan - "the two best teams in the competition", according to Wasim Akram.

His World Cup debutants could either be positive - "choose the right ball and blast it" - or they could grind out a score of 130 for 5 in their 50 overs. GEORGE SALMOND, who captains Scotland, speaks of his team's strategy as a calculated risk. "No, I don't think we have too many left-handers," he said, with good reason.. He shared his first Test innings with Gary Sobers, followed Roy Fredericks and Alvin Kallicharran to accumulate his match-winning 102 in the first final back in 1975 and later had Larry Gomes as a middle-order ally. His confidence was shot in the previous tournament by scores of 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, but he still has two Test hundreds to his name.Lloyd is accustomed to West Indies teams inclined to left-handedness. Jimmy has the experience, temperament and technique to adjust."Another of tomorrow's left-handers is likely to be Keith Arthurton, whose fleet-footed fielding and slow-medium bowling, rather than his batting, keep him in the side.