Exclusive look inside Scots' inner sanctum

Forget Australia's defeats at the hands of Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup, or again in Harare last year.

Look beyond Bangladesh's triumph over Ricky Ponting's team at Cardiff in 2005, and even England's more recent stumbles against Ireland, the Netherlands and those Bangladesh Tigers in various incarnations of the limited-overs game.

Should Scotland, winless as they enter their final match of their 2015 World Cup campaign and unranked on the ICC’s ladder of ODI teams, topple the top-ranked and very warm tournament favourite Australia in Hobart tomorrow it will be the largest upset the game has witnessed.

And even if, as bookmaker markets and prevailing street wisdom would suggest, the Scots come up short then it won't be for lack of preparation and belief.

The boys clad in the navy blue of the Saltire granted cricket.com.au exclusive access to their inner sanctum as they put together their strategies for Saturday's match, and detailed coverage along with behind-the-scenes vision will be rolled out in coming days.

Today's hour-long 'scouting' meeting in which the team's fielding coach and lead performance analyst Toby Bailey (a former wicketkeeper-batsman at English county Northamptonshire) stepped through the strengths and shortcomings of their Australian opponents, was as upbeat as it was thorough.

Yet to snare a win in 13 World Cup matches across three World Cup campaigns (1999, 2007 and 2015), Scotland are under no illusions as to who begins the showdown with host nation and four-time World Cup champions Australia as favourite.

But as Bailey, ex-New Zealand international now Scotland coach Grant Bradburn and former England skipper Paul Collingwood who is working with Scotland Cricket as a specialist coach regularly reaffirmed, this match is a priceless opportunity to showcase their wares to the cricket world.

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Coach Grant Bradburn addresses his players // cricket.com.au

As the players offered up their suggestions and observations of their much better recognised and remunerated foes in the 'Yellow Team' (Bradburn prefers to reduce the aura by depersonalising the opposition), the coach reflected on Wednesday night's loss to another heavyweight rival, Sri Lanka.

"The other day we were a bit guilty of ditching the plan," the coach observed in his quiet, measured tones as the semi-circle of players in their track pants, T-shirts, rubber thongs and uni-tutorial slouches sipped water and listened intently.

"Even if the execution isn't right, don’t blame the plan."

The 'plan' for Australia, as will be detailed post-match, does not involve re-writing the tried and true foundations of cricket strategy.

Don't bowl to batters' strengths, don't be afraid to surprise them, don't hesitate to use the pace of the much-vaunted pace of the Australian attack to your scoring advantage.

Balls delivered at high speed can travel with similar velocity off the bat, Bailey noted.

But there were many other more nuanced contributions, including a timely observation from Collingwood who earned an MBE as part of England's famous Ashes-winning squad of 2005 and led his home country to their only major global cricket trophy, the ICC World T20 crown in 2010.

In addition to providing his insights on the Australia players he's come up against in the international, English county and even Australia grade scene where he has played, he counselled his young charges against creating a climate of apprehension when they see the step-up in pace the Australian bowlers will provide.

"The view at the (Hobart) ground is from the side, and there's a concern when you're all watching from the side that it (the bowling) is a helluva lot quicker than it actually is," Collingwood told the Scotland players this morning.

"So just remember the environment that we create in the dressing room when we're watching for people waiting to go into bat.

"I'm sure you've faced bowlers as quick before so it's a thing that you can handle, and you will handle when you get out in the middle.

"You know what it's like when you get out in the middle, it's not as bad as it looks from the side.

"So just back yourselves."

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Former England captain Paul Collingwood offers some advice // cricket.com.au

In his pre-match media conference, Scotland's South African-born captain Preston Mommsen spoke of the "honour", the "excitement" and the "opportunity" that tomorrow's match against one of international cricket's foundation pillars means for a nation hoping to secure a permanent stake in the game's future.

Mommsen said the exposure his team, a number of whom play in England during the northern summer, has gained against some of the world's best players including Sri Lankan batting giant Kumar Sangakkara last Wednesday is already yielding dividends for his team.

"It’s invaluable, not only for the bowlers but for the batters, to be able to witness that and see how they (rival players) go about their innings in such a composed nature," Mommsen said today.

"We know we’re up against it tomorrow, against a quality side with a very strong line-up and they won’t be taking us lightly.

"We need to try and find a way into the game as early as possible.

"For us, it’s about hanging on and creating chances even if that means creating chances in the field out of nothing.

"You do as much preparation as you can for these sort of events, you have good discussions about how you are going to approach things but everything is amplified when you are playing in a World Cup.

"It's not just on the match days, it’s everything in between, the commitments etcetera - there’s a lot going on.

"For us, it's been hugely valuable just being here and gaining those experiences and the guys feel they are much better cricketers, much stronger mentally and we leave this tournament as a much stronger and better team even though we’ve not yet had a victory."

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Scotland's players analyse 'the Yellow Team' // cricket.com.au

The path to that long-awaited World Cup victory is currently blocked by the large spectre of an Australian team that have hit their straps in recent wins over Afghanistan and the same Sri Lankan outfit that defeated Scotland by 148 runs in Hobart last Wednesday.

Australia captain Michael Clarke today confirmed one change to his starting XI with home-town spinner Xavier Doherty surrendering his spot to fast bowler Pat Cummins who has recovered from a side strain.

Quick Single: Aussies make one change for Scotland

However, Clarke also foreshadowed some shuffling of his batting order to ensure all his batsmen enjoy sufficient time in the middle before the knockout phase begins with Australia to face an as-yet-unknown opponent in their quarter final in Adelaide next Friday.

"Obviously I need another hit," said Clarke, who has batted twice in international matches since recovering from hamstring surgery for returns of 12 and 68.

"I think Shane Watson needs another hit, and James Faulkner hasn't really had a bat in this tournament either. 

"There's probably three players that certainly need a bat. I'll assess tonight and make a plan, speak to a few of the guys and get their guidance and advice. 

"I'll speak to Boof (coach Darren Lehmann), I've spoken to Boof over the last few days about it and we’ll come up with a plan."