Craddock upbeat as Ireland face Scots

At this stage, the exodus to the professional ranks is almost an annual ritual. Yet, if Ireland thought they were alone in battling this blight, the reality is that all the countries are similarly affected - and, so, Irish captain Mick Craddock has been able to adopt a rather upbeat mood as his team prepare to wrest the Home International championship away from English hands when the event gets under way at Burnham & Berrow, in Somerset, today.

Indeed, things were put into perspective for the Irish upon arrival here when they discovered that their opening round opponents Scotland have been badly hit, not only with defections to the paid game but also by illness. Barclay Howard (44), who was leading amateur in the British Open at Troon in July and a member of the beaten Walker Cup team in Quaker Ridge last month, was recently diagnosed as suffering from leukaemia and is currently undergoing tests in Glasgow.

"We've all lost players to the professional game, with the exception of Wales, so it is pretty much a level playing field," said Craddock. Ireland, in fact, are without three members of the team that finished third in the European Championships in June: Walker Cup players Keith Nolan and Richard Coughlan and former Irish champion Peter Lawrie have all turned professional.

Still, Ireland - who last won the title at Rosses Point in 1991 - have adapted well in practice to the Par 71 6,759-yard links. The Somerset seaside links is slightly familiar territory to two of the Irish contingent, Eddie Power and John Morris, who played here in the British Boys' championship in 1982. On that occasion, Morris had the distinction of defeating Jesper Parnevik and Jose-Maria Olazabal. A couple more scalps like that wouldn't go amiss.

"It's a tricky course, with a lot of blind shots," said Power. Adding: "a bit like a cross between Bettystown and The Island," endeavouring to give it an Irish context. Power actually won the sweep among the Irish players yesterday (shooting a two-under-par 69), but he has been omitted from today's singles, while Andrew McCormick, one of three Irish debutants, misses the foursomes.

Ireland haven't lost to Scotland since 1989, a remarkable sequence considering that the Scots were European champions in the interim, in 1995. But the run could be maintained, given that Scotland are without Steven Young, Michael Brooks and Alistair Forsyth (all turned pro) from the team that finished second to Spain in the European championships.

And two other originally selected players, the unfortunate Howard, and Ewan Forbes, a late defector with a viral infection, are also absent from the Scottish team. So, with six newcomers to senior international fare, Scotland enter the match with Ireland today as slight underdogs.

"We've a good, battling team," insisted Craddock, who has decided to pair Jody Fanagan and Noel Fox together in the top foursomes match against Graham Rankin and Craig Watson. Generally, the Irish captain has decided to mix an element of experience and inexperience. For instance, another debutant David Dunne is paired with Adrian Morrow, and Paddy Gribben (completing a fairytale return to amateur ranks after a stint as a professional by picking up his first cap) is partnered with Power.

England, meanwhile, are chasing a record-breaking fifth title in succession - and open their campaign against Wales, the only side unaffected by mass defections to the professional game. After their dreadful 10th place finish in the Europeans, England feel they have a point to prove and are placing much emphasis on the performance of Justin Rose who, at 17, became the youngest Walker Cup player last month.

Today's Programme England v Wales - Foursomes - 8.00: A Wainright/K Wallbank v D Park/J Donaldson. 8.08: G Wolstenholme/J Rose v T Taylor/N Edwards. 8.16: C Edwards/S Philipson v R Price/O Pughe. 8.24: M Reynard/L Donald v M Blackey/P Rowe. Singles - 12.30: Wainright v Donaldson. 12.37: Rose v Taylor. 12.45: Duck v Park. 12.52: C Edwards v N Edwards. 1.00: Wallbank v Harris. 1.07: Donald v Pilkington. 1.15: Reynard v Price. 1.22: Rowe v Campbell. 1.30: Blackey v Smith. 1.37: Wolstenholme v Rees.

Ireland v Scotland - Foursomes - 8.40: J Fanagan (Milltown)/N Fox (Portmarnock) v G Rankin/C Watson. 8.48: K Kearney (Co Sligo)/J Morris (Douglas) v G Lowson/S Horne. 8.56: G McGimpsey (Bangor)/B Omelia (Newlands) v G Fox/L Kelly. 9.04: A Morrow (Portmarnock)/D Dunne (Co Sligo) v A Farmer/A Turnbull. 9.12: E Power (Kilkenny)/P Gribben (Warrenpoint) v S MacKenzie/D Patrick. Singles - 1.45: Kearney v Lowson. 1.52: Fanagan v G Fox. 2.00: Fox v Rankin. 2.07: Morris v Turnbull. 2.15: McGimpsey v Watson. 2.22: Omelia v Farmer. 2.30: A McCormick (Scrabo) v S Cairns. 2.37: Dunne v Kelly. 2.45: Gribben v MacKenzie. 2.52: Morrow v Patrick.