OPPORTUNITY knocks for the 15 cricketers who fly out to Zimbabwe

today. The so-called development squad containing seven full Scottish

caps, five B internationalists, and three newcomers, will play six

one-day games and a three-day match and while this trip may lack the

glamour of recent jaunts to Johannesburg and Cape Town, the incentive to

do well for those selected is just as great.

A few eyebrows were raised when the travelling party was announced

last October -- not so much at those included as the stalwarts omitted.

Openers Iain Philip and Bruce Patterson, George Reifer, and former

skipper Bruce Russell all are missing.

And the term ''development squad'' had an unconvincing ring set

against the original inclusion of eight full internationalists, before

Donald Orr's late withdrawal. ''We need a few experienced players to

pass on good habits, on and off the field,'' was the official SCU

explanation.

Interesting to reflect, then, that the four senior players overlooked

all are professionals with Scottish clubs and, therefore, accustomed to

working with and helping younger players.

It may be safe to assume that Jim Love, Scotland's Yorkshire-born

director of cricket, is trying to mould his own side. And while that

might be bad news for the old guard, it spells hope for the emerging

talent.

The uncapped Arbroath wicketkeeper, Murray Clark, is assured a chance

after Orr's enforced call-off. And the selectors will also be looking

for evidence that batsmen Aidan Docherty, Mark Mudie, and Dominic Rigby

can step up a level.

Love, who has spent the past few weeks at the ICC Associate Members

Cup in Kenya, said: ''I've seen what the established men can do. It's

now up to the fringe players to take their chance.''

His mission in Kenya was to lobby the men who will consider Scotland's

renewed application for associate membership of the ICC later this year.

If successful, the Scots would gain automatic entry to the 1997 Mini

World Cup in England.

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