Gavin Hamilton has had problems with his bowling

The Durham all-rounder has not played for Scotland in four years.

But he is with the Scots in Dubai for the ICC Six Nations tournament, hoping to qualify for the Champions Trophy.

"The World Cup in 1999 was a massive boost and it would be fantastic to play against the best in the world. It is all the incentive we need," he said.

Hamilton, who recently left Yorkshire to join Durham, was one of the outstanding performers in the 1999 World Cup.

He top-scored in four of his country's five games, all of which were lost, and knocks of 76 against Pakistan and 34 against Australia helped accumulate 217 runs at an average of 54.25.

That led to him becoming a Test player - for England - and thus achieving the ultra-rare distinction of having represented two nations at a most high-profile level in the same calendar year.

We will probably be regarded as favourites in Dubai Gavin Hamilton

That Test career lasted just one match in South Africa and, after being dismissed for two ducks and failing to take a wicket, he was never picked again.

Scotland have reclaimed him, along with Warwickshire and former England all-rounder Dougie Brown, in time for the tournament in Dubai and Sharjah, which starts on Saturday.

Waiting for them in the United Arab Emirates are some of cricket's second-class citizens - Holland, the host nation, Namibia, Canada and the USA - the winners qualifying for the ICC Champions Trophy, being held in England in September.

Scottish cricket found itself treading water between the World Cup and last year's debut season in the one-day league as the Scottish Saltires, the majority of whom make up the travelling party.

"We probably needed to kick on more after the World Cup and step up a gear," said Hamilton.

"We will probably be regarded as favourites in Dubai, but there will still be decent sides with two or three players who will have played at a good level.

Confident before Dubai

"But there is no reason why we can't put in a decent performance and the incentive is certainly there."

First opponents Holland are many people's favourites and are quickly followed by Namibia, a team Brown knows inside out after coaching them in last year's World Cup.

Hamilton's final season at Yorkshire saw him suffer from cricket's equivalent of the golfing yips when he came to bowl and his Durham debut season is therefore expected to see him feature primarily as a batsman.

"It is difficult to say as things are going well for me at the moment, but I would say batting is the number one priority," he said.

The Scots will be without wicketkeeper Colin Smith, as the tournament clashes with his police training commitments.