The weather might have done its best to dampen Calum MacLeod's enthusiasm in the last few weeks, but the chill, sleet and snow have failed to cast a cloud over the 24-year-old Scot, who has trenchant opinions on how his compatriots must raise their game to enhance their standing.

 In the past, some of Scotland's leading luminaries have talked up their prospects of meeting and beating the ICC Full Members, but unlike the Irish, who have actually managed to defeat Pakistan and England at successive World Cups, one has never really sensed they genuinely believed it.

 However, MacLeod is one of the new breed of steely competitors, who regards cricket as a full-time pursuit and who intends to dedicate his life to the sport for the foreseeable future. In which light, and even as he and his confreres prepare to fly to the Middle East next week for some intense action with ever-improving Afghanistan in three different formats, MacLeod was honest enough to set out his goals.

 "One of our ambitions and targets has to lie in beating the Full Members on a regular basis and we have three opportunities this summer - two against Pakistan and one against the Australians - to push ourselves into the bigger picture," said MacLeod, who was the star participant in Scotland's ultimately unavailing campaign to qualify for the World T20 last March.

"We know it won't be easy, but if we all play to our potential and put in a complete performance, we have the ability and the depth in the squad now to be challenging for wins, irrespective of the opposition.

 "It is a young group of lads, but most of us have been together for the last two or three years and it's time that we cranked things up in these ODIs.

 "I definitely think that we have enough talent and match-winners in the side to move forward in 2013. Perhaps we haven't been as consistent as we would have wanted in tournaments like the CB40, but this is a big year, we have the chance to qualify for two world events, and we are in a good position to do it. And now most of us are on full-time contracts, we have to push ourselves harder and we are, as you would have seen at our training sessions since we came back from South Africa."

MacLeod has been part of the Scottish international set-up since he was a teenager - he turned out against England at the Grange when he was only 19 - and has transcended well-documented difficulties with his bowling action to carve out a fresh niche as a free-scoring top-order batsman. On last autumn's trip to the Republic, he was delighted with the attitude shown by a string of new recruits - those such as Matt Machan, David Murphy and Iain Wardlaw - who were born in England, but have Scottish parentage. And, from MacLeod's perspective, the change in the ICC's eligibility regulations has been a blessing for his homeland.

 "I have absolutely no issue with it at all. If anything, I reckon we are simply working on the same level as everybody else now and that has to be a good thing," said MacLeod.

 "The arrival of these county-based guys has plenty of positives. It gives us a bigger pool of talent, it sends out the message to the home grown youngsters that they need to push themselves harder, because there is plenty of competition for places. And the new lads have shown a terrific attitude, they are keen, they are committed and some of them did really well in South Africa.

 "In the long term, I expect their involvement to benefit the whole grassroots structure in Scotland. We can't be complacent and just be happy with existing standards: we have to try and progress to a new level and I am confident that we have the players to make that happen."

MacLeod recognises the threat posed by the Afghanis, and accepts that the Scots will have to be flexible as they negotiate a schedule of Twenty20 and WCL fixtures in and around the Intercontinental Cup clash between the countries in March. Yet, if it's a challenge, it is also a chance to advance.

 "Let's be honest, 2012 wasn't the best of seasons and the weather didn't help, but now we are going into the busiest-ever calendar for any Scottish team and that has to be the way forward," said MacLeod.

"I'm excited about it and there has been a buzz around the whole squad. So far, we've been indoors since the New Year, but we are heading over to Dubai on February 19 and we can't wait to be outdoors playing again."

 Playing and winning. MacLeod is sufficiently driven to appreciate that the days of the Scots being plucky part-timers have vanished forever.