NEW ZEALAND EDGE OUT SCOTLAND IN BRISTOL

Scotland's hopes of qualification for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup semifinals were ended by world champions New Zealand on a scorching afternoon in Bristol.

 

After being asked to bat first, Scotland started well but had to battle to reach 131-7 in twenty overs on a tricky pitch. Darcey Carter carried her bat for a magnificent 72 off 52 balls, supported by Sarah Bryce (25) in the middle overs, as the spin of Melie Kerr (3-17) and Nesie Patel (1-25) restricted a bigger total.

 

New Zealand faltered in reply, falling to 26-3 as Kathryn Bryce and Rachel Slater starred with the ball, but Brooke Halliday and Izzy Sharp dragged the momentum away with a partnership of 101, running the Scottish fielders ragged in the afternoon sun. Scotland tired towards the end, as New Zealand eased home by six wickets.

 

On a baking hot morning in Bristol, Scotland's openers were tied down by a tight opening spell from New Zealand's bowlers, who used sharp swing and seam movement to restrict scoring. Fraser took eight balls to get off the mark, while Carter scored more freely but without conviction initially. 

 

Carter exploded with fourteen runs off the fifth over, and at the end of the powerplay Scotland had reached 45 without loss - a solid platform for a deep batting lineup to exploit. 

 

 

The introduction of New Zealand spinners Kerr and Patel curbed the scoring rate and Fraser fell at the start of the eighth over spooning a drive to cover. Kathryn Bryce then fell cheaply, pulling a long-hop from Kerr straight to deep backward square leg.

 

Scotland were in danger of becoming becalmed as only eighteen runs were generated in five overs, and with wickets in hand some impetus was needed, but this was easier said than done. Ten was taken from the twelfth over, but Kerr's variations continued to cause problems. Sarah Bryce was dropped at point by Patel, and then carved the next ball to the boundary through the same area.

 

 

Carter had produced another sparkling innings and brought up a well deserved 50 from 37 balls, while Bryce was now timing the ball beautifully through the offside. At drinks with six overs left, Scotland were 96-2 and well poised for a competitive score.

 

Some of that confidence was undone in the first ball after the drinks break as the experienced Sophie Devine (2-19) trapped Bryce LBW for 25, and four balls later she snagged Ailsa Lister at long on. In the next over Patel bowled Megan McColl round her legs, and the squeeze was on once more. 

 

Priyanaz Chatterji added a run-a-ball 12 but was one of two victims to Kerr, who bowled a brilliant maiden in the nineteenth over. Carter took ten from the final over but the feeling at halfway was that Scotland were somewhat short of a winning total.

 

Skipper Bryce made a perfect start with the ball, striking with her first delivery as Kerr lofted straight to Carter at mid-on. The same combination struck in the fifth over, after Bryce changed ends, to dismiss Izzy Gaze for 16.

 

Devine strode to the wicket intent on taking the game to the bowlers, but was comprehensively cleaned up by Rachel Slater for just 1, and the Scots were very much on top. Slater could have had a second in the same over but Sarah Bryce dropped a tough chance offered by Brooke Halliday, and New Zealand were 31-3 at the end of the powerplay.

 

Much of New Zealand's hope now lay with Izzy Sharp, and a reverse sweep off Carter was just the sixth boundary of the innings in the tenth over. The bounce of the pitch made timing difficult for power hitting, and the run rate had crept up above seven an over.

 

Sharp and Halliday however were still at the crease and a solid partnership was building to keep the target manageable, which passed 50 in the thirteenth over. The match was in the balance, but Halliday grabbed the initiative with two consecutive boundaries off Rainey, and two more followed off Fraser in the next over, as the pressure cranked up on the tiring fielders in the heat.

 

Gordon had a big LBW shout against Sharp turned down, who then hammered two consecutive boundaries to close the door on Scotland. Slater then bowled Sharp for 62, but the damage had been done, and the Scots were left to reflect on another day where they fought hard, but came up short.