Criticism penetrates even the thickest of skins, and it hurts most when the victim has not seen it coming. Some of the frosty glances darting around the Titwood pavilion steps last weekend suggested that a few Scotland players were unhappy with the severity of reviews of their work against Durham.

Perhaps they realised, given the rout had taken place that day against Warwickshire, that worse was about to follow. But since the dismal World Twenty20 Qualifier in February, nothing but favourable words had been attached to Scotland's performances - and rightly so.

When you volunteer to be exposed to professional combat, however, the next reality check is just around the corner. The two counties invited to Glasgow administered a brutal reminder of the amount of remedial work that remains to be done to repair a shredded reputation, and any gulf in quality should be honestly reflected in reports - just as commendable results and performances are greeted with praise.

Never mind that Durham and Warwickshire are, man for man, better-trained and better-paid than 10 of the 11 Saltires they defeated. My view was that Gordon Goudie and Gordon Drummond can bowl far better than they did on Saturday, and that some of the shots displayed on Sunday painted an unflattering picture of the technical capabilities of the Scots. Some of the cricket was amateurish, and nobody, contracted or otherwise, wants to be associated with that term any more.

I accept that one or two of the adjectives used could be filed under exaggeration. But if a strike bowler reads something he disagrees with and determines to prove it fallacious the next day, hallelujah!

The need to prove wrong an old-school coach, a critical parent or a mere numpty of a journalist cannot be anything other than constructive in a player's development. In any profession, your work is unlikely to improve without critical observations.

The most encouraging aspect of the tension at Titwood was the way the players formed a ring around themselves as they mulled over their Bear-mauling with a cold drink. Morale is truly alive and well within Drummond's squad, and this kind of solidarity will take them a long way.

But far from seeing critical pressmen as an enemy force with a destructive agenda, the players should recognise that we all want the same thing.

Ever since receiving my first cold shoulder from a Scotland international around mid-summer 2003 - the start of the first NCL campaign had gone so well a pleasant social bonhomie had come to exist between the two groups - I have maintained that the players should be subjected to a level of scrutiny equivalent to the spotlight that shines on the top international teams.

Since Drummond replaced Craig Wright as the team's steadying rock, Scotland have come a long way. He has enhanced their four-day cricket, and now the team have begun to restore their limited-overs reputation, the troublesome Twenty20 format excepted.

Gems have been unearthed and shined up, none at a quicker rate than Matty Parker, who has already learned much from his performance against England six weeks ago. Selections have been overwhelmingly positive, too. Ryan Watson might have divined more ways of scoring than Preston Mommsen did against Chris Woakes, but then he might have been out first ball, too. Mommsen will learn much from his struggles.

With the juniors currently reversing several years of Irish rule, there is much to admire about the current state of play in Scottish cricket. The worst thing that could happen now is for anyone involved to become accustomed to good press.