VICE-CAPTAIN Fraser Watts directed a stinging barb at Scotland’s faltering cricketers - himself included - after their disastrous World Twenty20 campaign in the United Arab Emirates.

Eager to divert criticism away from Pete Steindl and his coaching staff, the batsman, who made just 18 runs in Scotland’s defeats to USA, Afghanistan and Ireland, insisted that the players should take all of the blame.

“As a team, we understand that this is no-one else’s fault but ours,” said the 30-year-old Carlton opener. “All 14 of us played badly and we are not going to look around for excuses.

“We didn’t follow plans and procedures that were set down by the coach and it was our fault – no-one else’s.

“As always when this sort of thing happens, people look for scapegoats. But we weren’t under-prepared, we just didn’t play well. We were shit, basically.”

While the Scots spent their last two days in Dubai relaxing, shopping and drowning their sorrows, their peers in the associate cricket world continued the battle for two places at May’s finals in the West Indies, and Afghanistan and Ireland were the happy squads in the end.

While the Irish top order, for instance, is clearly superior to Scotland’s, the evidence of the past week suggests Steindl’s best batsmen also lag behind the Dutch, the Kenyans, the Afghans and the Emiratis in the ability to score quickly.

Both the coach and his captain, Gavin Hamilton, admitted to the need to scour the land for players more suited to Twenty20 than the present crop, but Watts took issue with the notion of a talent drought.

“The point was that we played with too much fear and too many guys were worried about getting out, whereas the UAE and Afghanistan were playing with no fear - they were prepared to swing the bat and live by the sword. We were too timid.

“The more experienced batters, myself included, didn’t stand up when required and we let a lot of people and ourselves down. There’s no point bullshitting.

“To blame the coach would be the worst thing that could happen. The point I’m trying to make is that if anyone is calling for heads, they should be calling for our heads. None of us came to the party.”

Steindl, who worked as a development officer and coached Scotland’s women before landing the top job in December 2007, was a surprise choice and has only managed to improve the national side’s fortunes in the four-day Intercontinental Cup.

However, the former Scotland all-rounder, a native of Queensland in Australia, is being granted far more time than his predecessors because he has had to cope with the retirements of Craig Wright, Paul Hoffmann and Colin Smith and the self-imposed exile of John Blain.

Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith insists that his position is not in jeopardy, and Steindl himself has already promised that changes will be made in the limited-overs batting line-up this summer.

The Scottish Saltires begin their first foray into the ECB Pro40 on May 16 with a trip to Leicestershire, and their five opening games will show how serious Steindl is about taking a new broom to his work. He has already consigned former captain Ryan Watson to the status of drinks carrier.