Scotland fast bowler John Blain is bubbling with confidence and believes he can play a leading role in his side's campaign in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier to be held in Belfast, Ireland from 2 to 5 August.

'I know I can change the game on any given ball or given over. I have done it in the past and I am confident I can do it again, if required,' he said.

'Twenty20 is an exciting format and the general perception is it is batsman-dominated format, but it's the bowlers who can turn the match on its head.

'However, to make it happen, you should know how to handle pressure, need to be confident of your abilities, have to be aggressive and continue to show variation in your bowling,' said the 29-year-old fast bowler who had stints with Northamptonshire and Yorkshire in the UK county championship.

The six Associate countries will go head to head in the four-day tournament at Stormont and at stake will be two or possibly three places in the ICC World Twenty20 2009 being staged in England.

Both finalists will qualify for the tournament which will take place at Lord's, The Oval and Trent Bridge next June.

The third place to be decided by a third and fourth-place play-off is dependent on Zimbabwe Cricket's Board ratifying a decision taken by its officials during ICC Annual Conference week, to step back from the tournament.

Scotland is grouped with Ireland and Bermuda and takes on its top-seeded neighbours on the opening day.

Blain captained Scotland in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in 1998, participated in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia the same year, has appeared in two ICC Cricket World Cups in 1999 and 2007, and in total, has played 47 first-class matches, 21 ODIs and two T20Is, including the rained out game against India. These statistics make him one of the experienced hands in this Scotland side.

'I think experience has made me a more knowledgeable person in cricket terms. I have seen various situations with teams getting into serious troubles or pulling themselves out of those troubles.

'These experiences only make you a better and tougher sportsman. And now I am happy to carry this experience into this tournament and provide whatever assistance I can to my team and my captain,' he said.

According to Blain, Scotland will enter the tournament in a positive frame of mind. 'We had a couple of excellent results in the ICC Intercontinental Cup where we convincingly beat Bermuda and Canada earlier this month and these victories can only give boost to our morale and confidence.

'Twenty20 is quick and sharp but confidence is the key as none of the teams have enough experience of this format.

'Every time we step onto the field we go with a positive approach and with a game plan and the four days in Stormont will be no different. We know our strengths and weaknesses and I believe Scotland will qualify for the main event but where we will finish will obviously depend on how we play in these matches,' explained Blain.

Third seed Scotland has opted for continuity and has named a squad that has just three changes from the side that participated in the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa last year.

Scotland is captain by Ryan Watson who also led the team in the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa. The 31-year-old opener has played 23 ODIs, 13 first-class matches and two T20Is, including the match against India.

One of Watson's most inspiring performances was against Ireland in the ICC World Cup Qualifier (formerly the ICC Trophy) final in 2005 when he scored a match-winning 94. He also made 123 not out against Canada in the ICC World Cricket League Division One match against Canada last year.

Gavin Hamilton is another player who brings vital experience to the Scotland side. The 33-year-old left-hander played his only Test for England against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1999 and has played 95 first-class matches, 24 ODIs, five T20 matches and has the experience of county championship action with Durham and Yorkshire.

Besides Blain, Watson and Hamilton, the other players who were in South Africa for the ICC World Twenty20 are Gordon Drummond, Majid Haq, Gregor Maiden, Neil McCallum, Dewald Nel, Navdeep Poonia, Colin Smith and Fraser Watts.

Kyle Coetzer, the 24-year-old right-handed batsman, is one of the three players along with Glenn Rogers and Richard Berrington, who was not in South Africa 10 months ago.

Coetzer comes with strong credentials after making significant contribution to Durham's finish in the county championship in 2007 when it was runner-up behind Sussex. Coetzer has played just three T20 matches, but has a healthy batting average of 33.14 in 27 first-class matches.

SCOTLAND - Ryan Watson (captain), Gregor Maiden, Navdeep Poonia, Colin Smith, Gavin Hamilton, Fraser Watts, Richard Berrington, Majid Haq, John Blain, Kyle Coetzer, Glenn Rogers, Dewald Nel, Neil McCallum, Gordon Drummond.