SUPERB SCOTLAND DOMINATE USA IN SERIES OPENER
Scotland opened their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in the USA with a superb 10-wicket victory over their hosts.
Bowling first, Brad Currie and Brandon McMullen were terrific with the new ball as they decimated the USA top-order, the Americans slumping to 59-8 before eventually recovering to 144 all out.
Despite a lower-order recovery, it was a total that proved to be well-below par, Andy Umeed (98*) and Charlie Tear (43*) adding an unbroken 145 as they took their side to their target inside 25 overs.
The USA’s woes started early as McMullen made breakthrough in the fourth over, Sushant Modani (8) edging to Mark Watt at first slip who took a smart catch low down.
Currie struck in the following over, removing the dangerous Andries Gous with one that nipped back and rapped the opener on the pads.
The USA’s slide continued as McMullen struck in consecutive overs, a stunning delivery that clipped the top of off stump proving too good for Monank Patel (0).
Currie was causing more problems in his following over, removing Saiteja Mukkamalla and Shayan Jahangir with consecutive deliveries, to reduce the hosts to 21-5.
The USA had slipped from 17-0 to 21-5, and lost four wickets without adding a run in the space of 12 deliveries.
Milind Kumar and Harmeet Singh steadied things somewhat, taking the total to 39 before Brad Wheal did for Kumar (5), who edged behind to Matthew Cross.
Wheal struck again to remove Singh (22), a good-length delivery getting big on the USA batter, and finding the shoulder of his bat as Andy Umeed took the catch at second slip.
The return of Currie to the attack saw him clean up Jasdeep Singh, the fourth duck of the innings, to leave the USA in the mire at 59-8.
Shadley van Schalkwyk and Nosthush Kenjige would set about rebuilding their side’s innings, and they would a patient 71 for the ninth wicket, more than doubling the USA’s total.
McMullen broke the partnership with a searing yorker to knock over Kenjige for a valuable 21, but Van Schalkywk would go to his 50 as he struck Michael Leask for back-to-back boundaries.
After taking Mark Watt for four, Van Schalkywk eventually departed for 58, bowled attempting to reverse-sweep Watt, as the USA were dismissed for 144 inside 39 overs.
Currie (4-32) and McMullen (3-20) led the way for Scotland, with their devastating opening burst ultimately proving decisive, despite the resilience of the USA’s lower order.
Scotland’s efforts with the ball looked even more impressive considering they had scored 340 on the same ground just two days ago, a total that a USA ‘A’ side were able to chase down.
Umeed picked up where he left off with the bat from that fixture, in which he scored 100, looking imperious through the leg-side as he repeatedly dispatched the USA attack to the boundary.
Umeed, batting alongside Tear, would go to his maiden ODI half-century from just 36 deliveries as he whipped Jasdeep Singh over square leg for six.
The pick of Umeed’s shots would come off the bowling of Kenjige, the Scotland opener shimmying down the wicket and striking the spinner gloriously back over his head, and over the stand.
Umeed and Tear were making light work of the run-chase, bringing up a 100-run opening stand inside 17 overs.
With Scotland closing in on victory, Umeed was nearing a maiden ODI century in just his second appearance – but with four needed to win, and the Somerset man on 94, he edged an attempted slog-sweep to the boundary, falling agonisingly short of what would have been a scintillating 100.
It was still a brutal 79-ball 98 from the Scotland opener who, alongside Tear who made a composed 43*, ensured his side eased to a 10-wicket victory inside 25 overs.
Scotland are next in action on Tuesday 29 October when they face Nepal at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas.