SCOTLAND EDGE THRILLER WITH NETHERLANDS
Scotland Men defeated the Netherlands by six runs to get their T20 World Cup Qualifying campaign off to the perfect start.
Following Sunday's washout, Scotland's first task was arguably their toughest test of the qualifier, against the hosts, but a superb bowling display, led by Chris Greaves (3-26) secured a significant win.
Batting first, Scotland posted 148-9 - a total that looked short of par, having been 127-3 in the 16th over, following excellent knocks from Oli Hairs (52) and Charlie Tear (32).
But the Scots struck early and often with the ball, Brandon McMullen removing Max O'Dowd and Zach Lion-Cachet in consecutive balls in the powerplay, before Greaves ripped through the middle order.
Chris Greaves said: "I thought the guys with the new ball set it up and set the tone really well.
"For myself it came out really well, and it was nice to beat the bat on both sides for a change and take a few wickets, and that was a great win for us."
Scotland's start couldn't have been much worse, as George Munsey fell for a three-ball duck, top-edging an attempted reverse sweep straight up in the air, allowing Noah Croes to take a simple catch.
McMullen and Hairs added 30 in quick time, but Kyle Klein made the important breakthrough to dismiss McMullen, caught by Roelof Van der Merwe at mid on for 17.
Richie Berrington took a particular liking to the left-arm spin of Daniel Doram, twice sweeping him high over the leg-side for six – but he fell to Bas de Leede, bowled for 28.
Hairs and Tear then set an excellent platform for their side as they added 59 for the fourth wicket from just 38 deliveries, Tear scoring all around the wicket as he ramped and reverse swept against the Netherlands seamers.
Hairs reached his 50 from 31 deliveries, but de Leede made the breakthrough as fell for 52 to leave Scotland 127-4 in the 16th over – but it would be the Dutch who finished strong, as Scotland lost six wickets for the addition of just 21 runs.
Tear fell to Klein for a 24-ball 32, as Scotland’s lower-order struggled against the impressive de Leede and Van der Merwe - Michael Leask (1), Matthew Cross (8), Mark Watt (2) and Safyaan Sharif (1) all fell cheaply as Scotland finished on 148-9.
Just like in Scotland’s innings, early wickets were the order of the day as McMullen struck in consecutive balls in his opening over.
Superb work from Cross saw O’Dowd stumped, before the following ball Lion-Cachet edged to Watt at slip – Scott Edwards safely negotiated the hat-trick ball, but the Dutch had been reduced to 8-2 after two overs.
Michael Levitt struck McMullen to the boundary twice in an over, but he fell to Sharif, bowled, as the dangerous opener departed for 22.
The Netherlands continued to lose wickets as Greaves trapped de Leede (1) in front, attempting to reverse sweep – to leave the hosts 43-4 in the eighth over.
Dutch skipper Edwards had received a life when he was dropped in the deep off the bowling of Mark Watt, but that miscue did not prove costly, as Greaves had Edwards (20) caught by Berrington behind square
When Greaves bowled Teja Nidamanuru (14), the Netherlands had slid to 75-6 in the 12th over - but Croes and Van der Merwe kept Dutch hopes alive.
They added 49 as they took the game deep, but Brad Currie dismissed Van der Merwe (20) in the penultimate over.
Noah Croes would go to his 50, but Sharif held his nerve defending 19 in the final over, as the Netherlands fell six runs short on 142-7.