Scotland's leading players are about to land full-time contracts for the first time.
Officials last year set a target of placing 10 players on part-time deals by January 2009, but it is thought that increased International Cricket Council funding will enable them to make more lucrative offers to a bigger number of players.
The deals will be officially announced next month but a source said: "There is cash in place to get at least 15 guys contracted. The governing body will be offering a range of deals, from one-off match payments through part-time to full-time contracts."
It is understood that the top deals will be worth up to £18,000 a year. The contracts will help secure the availability of Scotland's leading players for next year's World Cup qualifying tournament. In turn, it is hoped the new arrangements will put to an end the regular call-offs which have frustrated a succession of Saltires coaches as key players attempt to combine non-cricket careers with playing top flight sport.
However, the professional era will also bring a new level of expectation among supporters and funding organisations. The Scots have yet to record an ODI win against a Test-playing country and need to do so twice to get onto the ICC's official rankings.
In addition to professional deals, Cricket Scotland officials also hope to announce a vastly expanded programme of winter tours, which will keep their newly contracted players in action for the majority of the year. Shane Warne would consider coming out of retirement if he was asked by the current Australia team. The news comes with Australia's slow bowling stocks at their lowest point for some time.
Australia start the first of their four-Test series against India in Bangalore today, with the selectors to decide which of uncapped duo Jason Krejza and Cameron White they will take into the match.
It is an unfamiliar situation for the world champions, who have seen Warne, arguably the game's greatest bowler, and fellow wrist spinners Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg call it a day in the past 18 months.
"If the call comes I will consider it," Warne said. "I'm fit enough. I'm probably fitter than I have ever been at the moment."
It is not the first time that Warne has flagged the possibility of coming out of retirement. In May, he said he would consider returning if then first-choice spinner MacGill "fell over and broke his leg and there were no other spinners around".
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