SCOTLAND DEFEAT PNG IN FINAL OVER THRILLER
Scotland defeated Papua New Guinea by six wickets to maintain their 100% record in the ICC Emerging Nations Trophy, chasing down the 119-run target on the penultimate delivery.
Electing to bat first, PNG looked on course to post a total much greater than 118 - a terrific 63 from Hollan Doriga having her side well-placed at 100-2 in the fifteenth over.
But she fell to the final ball of that over, before Chloe Abel delivered a triple wicket-maiden on the way to a five-wicket haul, as PNG slipped from a commanding position to 118-8, losing six wickets for 18 runs in the final 31 deliveries.
That still looked like being a competitive total as Scotland slipped behind the required rate, losing Ailsa Lister (4) early, but Darcey Carter (30) and Ellen Watson (26) both made useful contributions before falling as the required rate began to climb.
When Sarah Bryce and Megan McColl came together at 74-3, the pair faced a tall task, with Scotland still requiring 45 from the final 33 deliveries.
Bryce and McColl delivered what proved to be a match-winning partnership, adding 40 from 29 as they upped the rate, leaving five from four required when McColl (14) was run out in the final over pushing for a second.
Rachel Slater struck the winning runs from the penultimate delivery, hoisting Henao Thomas over cover for four, but it was Bryce who had played the key match-winning hand with the bat, finishing unbeaten on a 29-ball 39.
Abel, who took her first international five-wicket haul (5-13) to bowl Scotland back into the game, said: "It's really nice to contribute to a nice win like that, but credit to the whole team, the batters did a really good job at the end.
"I probably simplified it a bit more today than what I have all tour, bowling top of the stumps is something I'm pretty good at, and with the wicket being a bit low and slow, I knew that if I kept the stumps in play the wicket would have enough for me in terms of natural variations."
Scotland are back in action against the Netherlands on Friday morning from 0645 GMT, which can be watched live and free on icc.tv.