CHERRIES star Ryan Fraser will be hoping to help Scotland take a giant step towards reaching the World Cup finals after being named in Gordon Strachan's squad for crucial qualifiers against Slovakia and Slovenia.

Winger Fraser earned his first senior cap when he replaced Robert Snodgrass in the 67th minute during the dramatic 2-2 draw against England at Hampden Park in June.

The 23-year-old kept his place in the squad for the recent qualifiers against Lithuania and Malta but did not feature in either.

Fraser first joined Strachan's pool in March, only to see his chances of winning a first full cap dashed when he was ruled out of games against Canada and Slovenia due to injury.

He had been due to start the friendly against Canada but was forced to watch from a seat in the stand after suffering a swollen knee on the day of the game.

Wins in their final two qualifiers – at home to Slovakia and away to Slovenia – would see the Scots finish second in Group F as they look to secure a place in the play-offs for next year’s finals in Russia.

Scotland host second-placed Slovakia at Hampden Park on Thursday, October 5 before meeting third-placed Slovenia in Ljubljana three days later.

Fraser, a bargain £400,000 buy from home town club Aberdeen in January 2013, has featured in four of Cherries' Premier League games this season and netted in the Carabao Cup win at Birmingham last month.