Lack of cash could lead to Scottish decline - Beyond the Test World at Cricinfo

n the past five years, Scotland have climbed to 12th in the ICC rankings, while winning the Intercontinental Cup and the ICC Trophy, and coming second in the inaugural World Cricket League in Kenya four months ago. However, Cricket Scotland chief executive, Roddy Smith, admitted yesterday there was no immediate prospect of his organisation being able to fund professional or even semi-professional contracts - "there simply isn't enough money to support it" - which left the normally buoyant Wright issuing a gloomy prognosis for Scottish cricket.

"I don't believe we can realistically expect to go any higher in the rankings without extra funding and, if anything, the situation is growing more critical, because we have an ever-expanding fixture schedule - which is good in one sense - which means that the guys simply can't get time off work," said Wright. "One of the potential outcomes of this is that the top guys may have to pick and choose their games, meaning that we will struggle to keep up with the likes of Bangladesh and Kenya [both of whom have or are sorting out pro contracts), and it becomes a vicious circle, with us not being as competitive, from where fans don't come to watch, and sponsors get turned off.

"There is no longer any point in ducking the issue, but we seem to be banging our heads off a brick wall at the moment, which is terrifically frustrating, considering how hard we have all worked. It's almost the case we have succeeded in spite of, not because of, the system, so what is going to happen next when we have hit the glass ceiling? Logically, you have to accept there is the threat of going backwards, which would be devastating."

Wright's words were delivered, prior to the ICC's meeting in London next week, where it's expected that the governing body will be urged to offer greater support to the emerging nations in advance of the next World Cup in 2011. "I am convinced that, for a relatively small amount of money, we could take substantial strides forward and we have to make that case to the ICC," said Wright, whose compatriots tackle Pakistan in Edinburgh on July 1. "Obviously, we have to be quietly confident that we can spring a surprise in that game, but we have to strive for a level playing field, otherwise we may have gone as far as we can go."

It's almost the case we have succeeded in spite of, not because of, the system". I think that pretty much sums it up. it is ridiculous the gap in funding between Scotland (and Ireland etc) and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe get a huge amount of money for doing, lets accept it, far less than most of the so called 'minnows' of cricket. a few extra million in the hands of Scotland, Ireland, netherlands, perhaps Canada is absolutely nothing to the money-ridden ICC. it is, however, everything to the smaller cricketing nations. The top class cricketers are being produced, the problem is that there is so little money in cricket in Scotland and Ireland that players like Kyle Coetzer and Eoin Morgan are torn between representing their own country and making a living. Hopefully the ICC will seriously consider this matter and improve funding, to make cricket a more global sport.

Scotland has punched above their weight in the last few years, but Craig is spot-on. There is no way that amateurs can keep challenging when their rivals such as Bangladesh and Kenya are in the process of placing their best players on contracts. It just isn't a level playing field.
As for Zimbabwe, I hope that the ICC tells Chingoka this week that he can expect no further investment whilst they remain puppets of Mugabe. But I won't be holding my breath!