Majid Haq, the Scotland spinner, vowed last night that his country will remain his main priority, unless he finally earns a lucrative professional contract south of the border.
The Ferguslie player, who arrived in Namibia yesterday for the start of the Saltires tour, has been invited back to Warwickshire for an extended trial after impressing their director of cricket Ashley Giles during a five-day stint there earlier this month.
His Scotland team-mates Dougie Brown and Calum MacLeod are already with the county, and Haq admits he felt at home in the Midlands. Having been rejected by several counties earlier in his career, though, his priorities - for now at least - remain home-based.
"They've asked me to come back for another week in May, probably to play some games for the Second XI," he said. "I'm hoping something will come of it but Scotland definitely still comes first, at least until there's something signed. But the first week down there was good. We spent a lot of time in training doing sprinting work which was a real change for me."
Haq, who graduated in accountancy last year, insists he isn't over-awed at the prospect of a belated attempt to forge a career in England. "Being there opened my eyes a bit," he added. "The players there are no better than some of the best players in Scotland.
"It's just they have more opportunities to concentrate on their game. I'm hoping the work I put in there pays off in Namibia. The set-up at Warwickshire was excellent. The facilities are really good. I got a taste for it. But I've already played in a World Cup so it's not the first time I've played at a high level."
Scotland's preparations for their Intercontinental Cup match with Namibia, meanwhile, were hit by rain last night. The Scots arrived in Windhoek early yesterday but their first training session was cut short by a downpour.
Forecasters have warned that monsoon conditions which flooded large parts of the country earlier this month may return next week in time to interrupt the four-day match.
Euan McIntyre, the manager, said: "We got a good light session in just to loosen the guys up after a long flight, but the weather is far from settled."
Scotland must beat the Namibians to rekindle their hopes of success in the ICC's flagship tournament for non-Test countries. Namibia looked in good form yesterday, reaching 327-5 on the first day of their Intercontinental Cup meeting with the Netherlands.
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