SCOTLAND easily won their first match in the International Cricket Conference Trophy, but their coach, Jim Love, knows full well his side still have much work to do.
Papua New Guinea, having won the toss and deciding to bat first, got off to a determined start, James Maha hoisting Kevin Thomson's fifth ball over the mid-wicket boundary as the burly paceman conceded 19 runs in his first two overs.
The Scots hardly helped their own cause with a rash of wides and no-balls but Mike Allingham, Thomson's new-ball partner, made the breakthrough in his second over when he had Maha caught behind with 22 on the board and then removed Leka two balls later.
Teenager John Blain succeeded Allingham, but had a torrid time; his second over comprised 13 balls due to a selection of wides and no-balls, although he did manage to claim the wicket of Amini, held by Scotland captain Salmond at cover.
It was only when the Scots turned to Keith Sheridan's spin and Scott Gourlay's medium pace that they managed to subdue PNG.
In eight overs Sheridan conceded only 12 runs while taking three wickets, and Thomson took three for 37 as PNG eventually tumbled out for 120 in 36 overs. Twenty wides and 13 no-balls contributed to 37 extras, while the top scoring batsman, Kevau, scored 17.
Scotland's reply was dogged in the extreme, Mike Smith scoring only three from 34 balls before playing on while Iain Philip was frustrated by a slow outfield which negated some good off-side strokes.
Philip reached 25 before being stumped and after Douglas Lockhart had gone for nine, it was a fourth wicket partnership between Greig Williamson and George Salmond which finally swung the game convincingly Scotland's way.
Williamson went for 14, but it was a patient, careful innings, while Salmond's undefeated 37 included a superb six over square leg and two fours as Scotland cruised to a six-wicket win in 38.1 overs.
Today, Scotland face Hong Kong, who exposed Bermuda's bowling frailty in winning by three wickets with two balls to spare.
Half-centuries by captain Albert Steede and Arnold Manders gave the ambitious Bermudians a defendable target but opener Riaz Farcy put Hong Kong on course with 65, and Rahul Sharma made sure with 69.
Kenya, the World Cup conquerors of the West Indies, struggled to defeat Singapore in their group match at Sungai Buloh. They lost eight wickets in passing a total of 89, with 20 wides donated along the way.
This match suggested that the day will come when Singapore achieve a result to match the glory of Singapore Cricket Club, one of the most striking and evocative grounds in the world.
Cricket was accepted into the school curriculum by the Singapore government only last year, having dipped perilously close to expatriate obscurity two decades ago.
Only when Grant Stanley, an Australian well-known in Glasgow cricket circles for 19 years, was appointed director of coaching four years ago, did prospects improve.
Holland completed a second devastating win in two days, 10 wickets this time against Namibia, who had Neil Lenham, of Sussex, as their coach.
Hosts Malaysia and Canada recorded their first points, while the United States and Bangladesh followed up opening day wins with further success. Faoud Bacchus, the West Indian former Test batsman, scored 100 not out in the US's tournament-best 312 for six against Gibraltar.