BENSON & HEDGES TROPHY

JIM Love, the director of Scottish cricket, having experienced the highs of achievement in Malaysia earlier in the month, has been brought back to earth since arriving back on home soil.

Twelve of the 16 who played in the ICC Trophy were unavailable last week against Durham. Now, for today's opener in a new Benson & Hedges Trophy campaign, Love's side must travel to county champions Leicestershire without half their first-choice team. The problems arise because of already over-stretched holiday-allowances.

The Scots have lost virtually their entire first choice bowling attack - Kevin Thomson, Mike Allingham, Ian Beven, Keith Sheridan, and Stuart Kennedy. Captain George Salmond is also missing because of his schoolteaching commitments.

On the plus side, the Scots have experienced opener Bruce Patterson restored to the side, while Zimbabwe-born Graham Hurlbatt may be ready to perform on the bigger stage. Squad:

I L Philip (Stenhousemuir, capt.), J A R Blain (Heriot's FP), D Cowan (Freuchie), A G Davies (Grange), S Gourlay (Freuchie), J W Govan (Carlton), G P Hurlbatt (Stirling Co), D R Lockhart (Glasgow Accies), B M W Patterson (Ayr), M J Smith (Aberdeenshire), P D Steindl (Grange), J G Williamson (Clydesdale).