SCOTLAND'S WORLD CUP HOPES DENTED BY ITALY DEFEAT

Scotland's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup took a blow as they suffered a 12-run defeat to Italy.

 

Set 168 to win, Scotland fell 12 runs short - despite 72 from George Munsey - and go into Friday's game against Jersey knowing a heavy victory may be required to book their spot at the World Cup.

 

Emilio Gay (52) and Grant Stewart (44*) made important contributions with the bat for Italy, but it was Harry Manenti who was the star with the ball, taking all five Scotland wickets as he struck up front and at the death - sealing a win that puts Italy on the verge of World Cup qualification.

 

Richie Berrington said: "I think probably today the difference in the game was the powerplay they had up top, they came out and played really well and I thought Emilio Gay played a good hand.

 

"We managed to pull it back through the middle, but probably leaked a few too many at the back end, it does get tough out there as the day goes and the ball gets softer on a dry surface.

 

"We kept ourselves in it with the partnership we had, but we just didn't quite manage to execute with the bat towards the end, and a lot of credit has to go to Italy, I thought they probably outskilled us today with the ball."

 

 

Batting first, Italy lost opener Justin Mosca early - Michael Leask, who didn’t bowl in Scotland’s opener against the Netherlands, was brought on in just the second over against Italy’s left-handed opening pair, and that decision immediately paid dividends.

 

That brought Joe Burns – capped 29 times by Australia – to the crease, but he fell cheaply, bowled by Mark Watt for eight.

 

Scotland then suffered an onslaught from Gay, who took Safyaan Sharif for 21 from an over – and struck five boundaries in seven deliveries, repeatedly opening up the offside and flaying the ball to the boundary.

 

He went to his half-century from just 19 deliveries, but the re-introduction of Michael Leask did for the Durham man, as he holed out to Munsey in the deep for 52.

 

And Leask had two in two, and his third, as he dismissed Marcus Campopiano first ball, Matthew Cross reacting superbly behind the stumps to snare the Italian’s attempted reverse sweep.

 

 

Ben Manenti was the next to fall, pulling Chris Greaves straight to Brad Currie at deep backward square-leg – as Italy slid from 72-2 to 94-5.

 

With the Italian innings in the balance, Stewart and Harry Manenti built a crucial partnership – adding 46 in six overs, before Currie dismissed Manenti for a run-a-ball 38.

 

That platform enabled a late flourish from Stewart to lift Italy to 167, striking Currie for a straight six, before thumping two more from Sharif in the final over, as he finished unbeaten on 44.

 

Scotland’s response started positively as George Munsey and Oli Hairs added 29, but Italy hit back as Harry Manenti struck in consecutive balls.

 

First, he had Oli Hairs (14) caught on the leg-side boundary by his brother, Ben, before he snaffled an excellent return catch to remove Brandon McMullen first ball.

 

That brought Munsey and Berrington together – and what could have been a decisive moment came with Munsey on 20, when he Anthony Mosca dropped a relatively simple chance off the bowling of Ben Manenti.

 

 

It looked like Italy would rue that missed opportunity as Munsey went to his half-century, and added 105 for the third wicket alongside Berrington, as the pair looked to take the game deep.

 

But with 35 required from the final three overs, Munsey looked to accelerate but could only clip Harry Manenti to Burns in the ring, departing for 72.

 

Scotland struggled to regain any momentum from there as Harry Manenti and Stewart bowled superbly - leaving Scotland requiring 26 from the final over, in which Manenti removed Leask and Cross to secure his five-fer - and a remarkable victory for Italy.