Saltires' hopes of fielding a full-strength bowling attack against Middlesex tomorrow have been dashed after John Blain ruled himself out.
The selectors are desperate to beef up a threadbare attack which conceded 403 runs against Somerset at Taunton on Monday. But Blain, the Yorkshire Academy player-coach, has county commitments and is still battling back to full fitness following the elbow injury that curtailed his involvement in the last month's World Cup qualifiers in Johannesburg.
Blain, who has yet to play under Gavin Hamilton', said: "I'd love to play to help Gav out but I'm just not ready yet. I had another injection for my elbow injury last week and only bowled for the first time yesterday since coming back from South Africa.
"It's frustrating but I also have my commitments to Yorkshire to think about and I am just getting settled in my new job. The academy lads have responded brilliantly since I came in and are top of their league so I have a responsibility to them as well."
For captain Hamilton, the news came as a blow. "We're desperate to get our top 13 players together and get a bit of continuity going," he said.
Blainy would make a big difference but younger guys are getting good experience because of all the call-offs."
In addition to Blain, the Saltires have had to do without Craig Wright, Gordon Drummond, Calum MacLeod and Gordon Goudie during the first four games of a tough FP Trophy campaign. Wright and Drummond should be available for the Middlesex match at Citylets Grange and the visit of Warwickshire on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Blain has told Matty Parker to savour his first big-name wicket. The Arbroath youngster claimed the scalp of former England player Marcus Trescothick in Monday's defeat.
Blain added: "Regardless of how many games he plays for Scotland or how many wickets he gets Matty will never forget that his first one was Marcus Trescothick.
"I remember my first was Ricky Ponting and you get a real buzz from something like that when you are a young player. Hopefully Matty will take a lot of confidence from it and go on to get a lot more."
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