Andrew Flintoff began England's new era in one-day cricket with a three-wicket haul between the showers against Scotland to provide hope of an encouraging end to a traumatic summer.
The Lancashire all-rounder made his first one-day international appearance in nearly a year in Monday's historic first meeting at this level between the two great rivals in front of a near capacity 6,000 crowd at the Grange.
It was a low-key return for the 30-year-old, with steady rain halting England's pursuit of an adjusted victory target of 159 after only 2.3 overs, having earlier claimed 3-21 in his eight overs to help restrict Scotland to 9-156.
It may have been quite a contrast from his last one-day appearance for England in front of a 30,000 crowd at Lord's against India last summer, but just to see Flintoff back in the blue one-day uniform would have been a tonic for Kevin Pietersen as he officially began his reign as England's captain of the limited-overs side.
In Flintoff's absence with a mixture of side and ankle problems, England has won just five of its past 15 one-day internationals.
And with a powerful South African side to be faced in the coming weeks, new captain Pietersen is all too aware of his key all-rounder's importance to a possible resurgence in fortunes.
There was some pluck from the outmuscled opponent as well.
Facing humiliation at the hands of the auld enemy at 3-11, Scotland recovered impressively through former Yorkshire and England all-rounder Gavin Hamilton and policeman Colin Smith, who forged a determined 64-run fourth-wicket partnership.
Hamilton perhaps had extra motivation after playing just one unsuccessful Test for England against South Africa in Johannesburg nine years ago - when he bowled 15 wicketless overs and suffered ducks in both innings.
He was the mainstay of the partnership, but both players took the opportunities to play their shots with Smith finally falling for 36 having hit three fours and two sixes when he upper cut Stuart Broad to third man.
Hamilton's 119-ball innings, which included four fours and three sixes, was finally ended with just four overs remaining when Flintoff returned to the attack and induced an edge behind which was superbly caught by Matt Prior as Hamilton attempted to guide the ball down to third man.
Facing an amended victory target, England had just enough time for Ian Bell to hit the only boundary of its innings before rain halted the match for the last time.