Scotland's success in the ICC Trophy in 1997 has changed the face of Scottish cricket and created an entirely new dimension for the game in this northerly outpost, at international level. The enthusiasm of Dr Ali Bacher for rapid development in the 'second-class' cricket nations was manifested in tours to both Scotland and Ireland by Bangladesh and Australia A in 1998.

A scheduled programme of three one-day matches and two three-day games against Bangladesh, four one-dayers against the Australians and two three-day 'mini tests', together with the hosting of the Triple Crown, narrowly surrendered to England, and a week in Holland for the European Championships, in which they finished third, inevitably stretched playing resources as never before.

In the event, rain somewhat curtailed both tours with one of the limited-overs games against Bangladesh falling victim and the same fate befalling two one-day encounters against the Australians. Rain also interrupted several of the other Australia A fixtures.

Nevertheless, the commitment demanded of the players required negotiations between their employers and the Scottish Cricket Union, with Lottery Fund assistance enabling most players to take what amounted to sabbaticals, in other words, of necessity devoting a large slice of the summer entirely to the virtual reality of full-time cricket.

This new regime of international cricket, of course, was tacked on to the usual Benson and Hedges Cup, in its final year, and the NatWest Trophy. It all began with the B&H, in which the Scots, though just failing to add to the scalps of Lancashire and Northamptonshire whom they had beaten in earlier years, nevertheless performed with great credit.

In three of their four games, they played themselves into winning positions, only to be thwarted by the sheer professionalism of Yorkshire, Durham and Derbyshire in turn. Ironically, only Worcestershire were able to exert total domination in the second of these games at New Road but the Scots were to wreak due revenge in the NatWest.

Indeed, Worcestershire were to become Scotland's first ever NatWest victims when they lost in Edinburgh in a nail-biting finish in which the home side showed a new-found sense of self-belief to keep their cool and engineer a historic win. West of Scotland's young medium pacer Craig Wright took 5 for 23 and the Man of the Match award.

However, in the second round Derbyshire, after only narrowly beating Scotland during the B&H campaign, took advantage of the toss and through a superb spell by left-arm paceman Kevin Dean, demolished Scotland's top-order and thereafter cruised to a relatively comfortable victory.

Meanwhile, their first truly international series - against Bangladesh - had begun. The Bangladeshis, who have already been granted full One-Day International status with Kenya, were Scotland's conquerors in the ICC Trophy semi-final in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 but in different conditions they were no match for a side which not only had retribution on their minds but played with a confidence and panache seldom, if ever, witnessed before.

In the first one-dayer at Hamilton Crescent, Scotland raced to a 50-over total of 240 for 6 with skipper George Salmond applying the final coup de grâce in smashing 81 off 85 balls, enabling his team to add 90 in the last 10 overs. Bangladesh never quite reached the kind of run-rate likely to threaten that target and in the end were bowled out for 201.

The second fixture brought an even heavier defeat for the tourists. Batting first, they were dismissed for 99. Significantly, Gavin Hamilton made his first appearance for Scotland for two years, which has since been the subject of soul-searching and enquiry.

The Scottish-born all-rounder went on to enjoy a purple patch for Yorkshire in August to place himself under the England selectorial microscope. No one in Scotland, least of all coach Jim Love, wants to deny Hamilton the opportunity to progress in his chosen profession as far as he can. What Scottish aficionados of the game do not understand is why he cannot represent his native country until such time as he is picked for an official England team - like in the World Cup!

Scotland did try to persuade the ICC Test-playing countries to amend the rules and abandon the spurious two-year waiting period between appearances for 'second tier' nations and full-members but interest in such matters seems to be low on the basis that the motion failed. One backed the proposal, two opposed it and the other six didn't even vote.

The two three-day games with Bangladesh were drawn with Scotland certainly holding their own, most notably in the first when, because of the unexpected clash with the NatWest second round, the Scots had to field what was in reality a reserve XI packed with youngsters, who performed remarkably well.

Australia A were unsurprisingly in another league. With over 100 Test and One-Day International caps between them, they would probably have given England a hard game let alone Scotland. Predictably, they proved to be too strong for the Scots, although there were certainly phases of every game in which the Scots came close to competing.

No doubt the experience against Australia A had its value in terms of next season's World Cup when Scotland will face, among others, Australia. But also numbered among their opponents are Bangladesh, a game which will be played in Edinburgh on the Grange ground where the Scots all but humiliated their Asian opponents. New Zealand will also have to travel to the same venue, although their confidence will be higher after their comprehensive defeat of the Scots in the Commonwealth Games. Kuala Lumpur re-visited, for the 'Friendly Games', was a chastening experience. Although for a good part of the Scots' game against Pakistan they competed well, heavy defeats at the hands of Kenya and then New Zealand followed.

While many may regard the World Cup as the culmination of this sudden rise in the profile of Scotland as a cricketing nation, it is in reality just a beginning. The achievements of the past 20 months have brought Scottish cricket into focus as never before.

Television exposure at the World Cup will accelerate that process but farther horizons are already coming into focus. Other 'second tier' nations will surely be encouraged to mount tours to Scotland and the Scots, inevitably, will be invited to reciprocate and mount international tours of their own.

In short, beyond the World Cup bonanza, the next goals are to ensure that a good performance in the next ICC Trophy seals further World Cup appearances and that Scotland take their place among the second division of Test and One-Day International nations, so much the apple of Dr Bacher's eye in the worldwide development of the game.

The last word should go to Bob Alum, Bangladesh's charming team manager, who expressed the opinion that in terms of ability and facilities Scotland, like his own side, thoroughly deserve full One-Day International recognition - another significant and important goal for Scotland to reach for.