IN JUST over a year, Scotland will return to the banks of the Severn for a World Cup match. The only connection with this defeat is likely to be the man in the green cap, yesterday of Worcestershire and next May probably of Australia.

At the moment Tom Moody's thoughts would not stretch beyond a Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final place, now closer after his competition-best bowling figures of four for 24 and an electric half-century in 48 balls.

Scotland's fragile batting betrayed a lack of match practice, but their new-ball bowling was good enough to put Worcestershire in a lather at two for two.

Asim Butt, a left-armer of Pakistani origin, and James Brinkley, playing against his former county, were so successful that Moody and Graeme Hick were together as early as the ninth ball.

Twitchiness briefly enveloped batsmen and crowd until international quality ruled with a stand of 81. Hick completed a fifty in 64 balls and Worcestershire eventually cruised in with 22.3 overs to spare and a Gold Award for Moody.