MAGIC MCMULLEN LEADS SCOTS TO VICTORY OVER USA

A stunning 151 by Brandon McMullen propelled Scotland to a 71 run win over USA in their ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 meeting in Dallas.

 

McMullen smashed 11 fours and six maximums as he recorded his highest ODI score, ably supported by Charlie Tear (51) and Michael Leask (33*) as Scotland hammered 119 runs from the final ten overs.

 

Brad Currie took two wickets in the opening powerplay to pile the pressure on USA, and while Utkarsh Srivastava (67), Monak Patel (51) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (49) kept the USA alive deep into the game, Jack Jarvis (4-40) ensured a comfortable second victory of this series for the Scots, who move into third place in the CWCL2 table above Netherlands.

 

After USA won the toss and opted to field, Charlie Tear and Andrew Umeed started with a flourish, racing to 26 without loss in four overs. Umeed had walloped a huge six over long leg, but he then nicked Saurabh Netravalkar behind for 18.

 

McMullen settled quickly with some confident trademark drives, and he and Tear passed 50 in the twelfth over, on the same pitch used two days previously which was looking increasingly good for batting.

 

The pair continued to build a healthy platform, taking Scotland to 100 in the twenty third over. McMullen was becoming increasingly dominant, pummelling first Netravalkar and then Harmeet Singh for six, and he brought up his fifty from 63 balls.

 

 

Tear brought up his own fifty a couple of overs later, but the run rate had begun to drop, and shortly afterwards he chipped a return catch to Nosthusch Kenjige, bringing captain Richie Berrington to the crease.

 

With 15 overs to go, Scotland were 152-2 and with McMullen looking serene at the crease were in a good position to finish strongly and post a challenging target. Berrington was now into his stride and whacked an enormous six down the ground off Harmeet as the USA attack began to tire.

 

McMullen hit a glorious pull over midwicket for four to move to 99, and reached a brilliant third ODI century two balls later. The partnership was now worth 80, but Berrington then holed out to Jasdeep after a run-a-ball 26 to leave the Scots 211-3 after 42 overs.

 

Michael Jones joined McMullen who was now fully unleashed, belting two sixes off the forty-third over which gave up 20 runs. Jones soon got in on the fun with a brilliant reverse-scoop off Van Schalkwyk to bring up the 250 with five overs left.

 

Jones fell for 12 after slashing Netravalkar to deep cover, bringing Michael Leask to the crease. He promptly walloped Jasdeep over deep midwicket on to the roof of the sports bar in style, and then repeated the shot twice off Netravalkar in the next over.

 

McMullen was dropped on 143 – then with two boundaries he brought up the Scotland 300 and his 150 in consecutive balls, before being bowled by Jasdeep for 151. Leask smashed another six off the final ball off the innings to finish with 33 from 11 balls, as Scotland ended their innings on an imposing 317-5.

 

With impetus needed from the off, Shayan Jahangir tried to set the tone for USA with two consecutive boundaries off Currie, but the bowler produced a pearl of a reply to clean up the opener next ball.

 

Van Schalkwyk, who had scored a half century in the sides’ first meeting, was promoted up the order, but fell to Currie LBW without scoring. At 25-2, USA were on the ropes.

 

 

USA captain Patel and Sushant Modani kept up the momentum to take the hosts to 59-2 from ten overs. Berrington brought Mark Watt into the attack, and he struck immediately, Modani miscueing a sweep to McMullen at midwicket for 25.

 

At drinks USA were 93-3 with the game evenly poised, but Watt tilted it back towards Scotland as he tempted Saiteja Mukkamalla to chop onto his stumps for 10. Patel, meanwhile, continued on to reach a half-century, and his continued presence ensured a present threat to Scotland’s hopes of victory.

 

That presence ended at the hands of his opposite number, as Berrington snagged a great catch at cover off Jack Jarvis to remove Patel for 52. Tear then shelled a simple chance off Leask given by Srivastava, but the Scots were still on top.

 

Krishnamurthi and Srivastava began to rebuild impressively at a run a ball, as Berrington juggled his bowlers across the middle overs. Currie dropped a sharp caught and bowled opportunity from Srivastava as the tension began to build, and with 15 overs left, USA needed 130 to win.

 

McMullen returned to the attack and immediately broke the partnership, as Krishnamurthi cut to Leask at point for 49. 17-year-old Srivastava kept things moving and passed 50, but the pendulum swung once more as Leask dragged Harmeet Singh down the pitch and Cross whipped off the bails, before Jasdeep edged Jarvis behind to make it 233-8.

 

Jarvis finally removed Srivastava for a well-made 67, caught by Berrington at cover, and then cleaned up Netravalkar to complete his best ever ODI bowling figures, as the Scots eased to victory.

 

Scotland have one final fixture in this series, against Nepal on Monday, starting at 1630 UK.