Scorers: Scotland - Miller (30); Croatia - Kranjcar (10)

On a dark, dank night at Hampden Park, Scotland took their first tentative step on the long and hazardous journey to World Cup 2010 under George Burley's stewardship.

Call-offs aside, last night's 1-1 draw against Croatia was an invaluable exercise for Burley in his first match since succeeding Alex McLeish. Judging by his bold introductory selection, Burley is promoting a high-risk manifesto, founded on a greater sense of adventure than his predecessors, to end Scotland's ongoing hiatus from major championship finals.

Scotland's resolve is undiminished four months after the deflating conclusion to the Euro 2008 play-offs against Italy. Amid renewed competition from Allan McGregor, Craig Gordon took the opportunity to reassert himself as undisputed first-choice goalkeeper with a series of impressive, agile stops in slick conditions, while Stephen McManus was a towering presence as he assumed the captaincy in the absence of Barry Ferguson.

Alan Hutton proved that it is better to let the head rule the heart. Initially reluctant to leave Rangers, he performed with the swagger and drive of a player revelling in the big time at Tottenham Hotspur. Kenny Miller enhanced the reputation as a more potent asset for country than club with his 11th international goal.

The combative pairing of Scott Brown and Paul Hartley in midfield would also have convinced attendant Celtic fans that the partnership must be preserved for Saturday's seminal Old Firm derby at Ibrox, if not the remainder of their season. Brown, in fact, possessed a punch that has been absent in club colours for much of this term.

Scotland recovered impressively against the sharp, incisive Euro 2008-bound Croats. Nico Kovac may be the experienced orchestrator but the veteran No.10 was upstaged by the stealthy magnificence of Luka Modric. The Dinamo Zagreb player was Croatia's greatest threat but Hartley and Brown worked manfully to defuse his incendiary potential.

Burley, Terry Butcher and Steven Pressley took it in turns to encourage an understandably anxious team. Pressley may have taken early international retirement to assist Burley but the Celtic defender was not for shelving his cherished white boots for the new role. Sporting a coaching tracksuit, red beanie hat and stop-watch, Pressley took charge of the warm-up routine with the occasional wistful look at players who, not so long ago, were international team-mates and, in the case of Celtic's quartet, are still considered club colleagues.

And what of Butcher? The former England battle weariness is no longer evident in blood-soaked head bandages but, rather, a knock-kneed gait that is a relic of cortisone injections and years spent defying - or rather masking - injury. He resisted any temptation to add his booming Suffolk accent to Flower of Scotland. Instead, the supporters had to suffer Kevin McDermott, an apparently credible singer/songwriter who looked like he had either been plucked from an Emaciated Elvis competition or from the end of the Scotia Bar and issued a See You Jimmy wig and jumpsuit.

Aside from the pre-match entertainment, it was also a night for celebrating milestones and anniversaries. Steven Fletcher made his full international debut on his 21st birthday and would have been blissfully unaware of the historic event that occurred the year before his birth at the very stadium he performed at so auspiciously last night.

Kenny Dalglish had become the first Scotland player to reach 100 caps and was presented with a commemorative golden cap by Franz Beckenbauer before playing in a 3-0 victory against Romania. Burley's bold selection of three attacking players, meanwhile, was a risky strategy but one that indicated an enterprising philosophy for the World Cup qualification campaign.

Steven Fletcher and Shaun Maloney were encouraged to offer width and support to Kenny Miller but their efforts were eclipsed by the relentless drive of Hutton, who was afforded the freedom of the right-hand side and was a greater attacking threat than Burley's wingers.

For Maloney, the ball proved as controllable as a wet bar of soap on the slippery surface, while Fletcher gradually overcame his nerves to engineer the equaliser. He was replaced by Gavin Rae at the interval but made an impact with his assist.

Scotland's tentative start was punished within 10 minutes. Brown failed to close down Kranjcar from a throw-in 30 yards out and the Portsmouth playmaker spun before dispatching a swerving shot past Gordon.

The goal sparked Scotland to life. Steven Fletcher flicked a left-footed pass beyond Robert Kovac and Miller raced in to score his 11th goal with the aid of a deflection off Jospi Simunic and the fumbling co-ordination of Stipe Pletikosa. The Derby County striker almost headed his side into the lead from a corner at the start of the second half but as the game opened up, Croatia began to impose themselves and only an instinctive spooned save from Gordon and and a vital Gary Caldwell interception preserved the parity.

The game's flow was interrupted by a steady shower of substitutions, one of whom, Kris Boyd, was denied a fateful winner when he replaced Maloney for the final surge.