Cricket: Parker aims to push himself to the next level at Trent Bridge

Scottish Saltires opening bowler Matthew Parker believes he is learning with every game he plays for the national team and is looking forward to testing himself against Nottinghamshire tomorrow.

The Scots head to Trent Bridge for the CB40 clash off the back of two disappointing showings against Durham and Warwickshire in the same competition at Titwood last weekend.

Those results have not dampened Parker's spirits, though, and the Forfarshire man is enjoying a great summer. Still only 20, the Arbroath-raised player performed well as Scotland reached the final of the World Cricket League in Holland in June and has become a first-choice pick over the last couple of months.

Parker did not play in the first fixture between the Saltires and Nottinghamshire earlier in the season, a game the English county won by 43 runs, but is certain to start tomorrow.

He said: "This summer has been really good for me and I am just trying to take each game as it comes.

"It was good to play a few matches in a short space of time out in Holland because it allowed me to get more consistency in my bowling and work on things.

"There are a number of experienced players around me in the team and I am always trying to learn things from them and they are always talking to me. We didn't do ourselves justice last weekend, so we have to perform at a higher level in Nottingham."

As he had made his rise into the full squad Parker has been delighted to see other players his age and younger being given a chance in 2010.

The likes of Freddie Coleman, Ewan Chalmers, Freddie Coleman, Oli Hairs, Ryan Flannigan and Marc Petrie have all been involved in the Scotland ranks in the last few months and Parker believes this bodes well for the next decade.

"I grew up playing with a lot of these guys and other talented players through the regional and national age-grade system and I think we are now seeing the hard work that Cricket Scotland have done with us coming to fruition.

"What is also good to see is that there are a lot of other guys just waiting for their chance and competition can only be a good thing given the amout of competitions we are now involved in throughout the year."

Parker warmed up for tomorrow by playing in a three day match for the Durham second XI this week.

Despite two defeats last weekend Saltires' coach Pete Steindl has decided to stick by his squad, the exception being experienced batsman Neil McCallum, who is nursing an injury and is being rested ahead of next week's four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup game against Afghanistan at the Citylets Ayr.

That means that Carlton duo Fraser Watts and Preston Mommsen are likely to be given another chance to open the batting together and try and replicate their stunning club form at a higher level.

Parker's batting may also be utilised further up the order in McCallum's absence too as he is handy with the bat too, while one player was due to be added to the travelling party last night.

For the hosts tomorrow the Scots will be need to be wary of Australian international David Hussey, who scored a double hundred in a four-day match against Yorkshire this week.

They are also a good one-day unit and have reached the Twenty20 finals day at the Rose Bowl later this month.

Squad (TBC): Gordon Drummond (captain), Fraser Watts, Preston Mommsen, George Bailey, Richie Berrington, Gavin Hamilton, Moneeb Iqbal, Mathew Parker, Dougie Lockhart, Majid Haq, Ross Lyons, Gordon Goudie, AN Other.

"There are a lot of guys just waiting for their chance and competition can only be a good thing" MATTHEW PARKER