SALTIRES bosses are planning a series of top quality fixtures after being omitted from England�s new county set-up.

Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith last night revealed that Scotland won�t be included in English cricket�s revamped domestic structure from 2014.

It means Pete Steindl�s side will be denied eight games against quality opposition.

However, Smith believes matches against top international sides, including Australia, will help fill the void.

He said: �Australia are already on our schedule for next summer and we hope to have two additional games against Full Members in 2013.

�The ICC are placing a huge emphasis on more games between the top Associates and Full Members and their A teams - we will benefit by this and also more international games against our direct peers.�

Of the ECB�s decision to omit the Saltires from their new CB50 tournament, Smith added: �CS have known for some time that there was a real possibility that the Saltires would not be included in a new ECB domestic 50-over competition from 2014.

�Indeed we have had a number of discussions with the ECB about this as well as the other ongoing areas of support the ECB provide to Scottish cricket.

�The final outcome of these discussions will be released in due course but are viewed by the CS Board as being a very positive overall outcome.

�Cricket Scotland had put forward to the ECB that ongoing participation in their domestic structure was not a priority.

�With additional support from the ICC and the potential of increased international fixtures in 2013 and beyond, the loss of 8 county games from our schedule creates new opportunities for matches for the national side.

�We will be doing everything we can to maintain a strong and competitive in-season fixture list.�

The last assurance will come as some comfort to coach Steindl who had originally assumed that the Saltires would participate in the new CB50.

The coach said: �There was some uncertainty about the make-up of the new competition and I thought we would be in one of four groups of five teams.

�However, I received a second e-mail which made it clear the counties wanted two groups of nine teams, meaning ourselves and Holland drop out.

�My priority is ensuring that the players get a full programme of quality cricket that will challenge them.

�Hopefully that�s what we�ll get to replace the county games because they have been of great value to me and the players.�

Next season�s CB40 tournament will end a period of regular competition against county opposition for Scotland stretching back to 1980.