SCOTS SURVIVE ANOTHER FORFS THRILLER
Jasper Davidson hit a boundary off the penultimate ball to seal a one wicket victory for Scotland over UAE in another sensational ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 encounter at Forfarshire.
In a match reduced to 40 overs per side due to rain, the Scots somehow chased down UAE's 231-8, having been well adrift at the halfway stage of their innings. Player of the Match Matthew Cross led a late charge with 66 from 51 deliveries, supported by captain Richie Berrington (39) and Michael Jones (44) plus a few vital lower order contributions to see Scotland over the line.
The result sees Scotland climb level on points with USA at the top of ICC CWCL2, with one match left in the series. USA are still to play their final series and have four matches in hand.
The start was delayed by two and a half hours after morning rain, but once play got underway Brandon McMullen (3-30) continued his good form with two wickets in the first five overs to reduce UAE to 14-2.
UAE fought back impressively led by opener Adeeb Usami, who compiled an impressive 116, his first international century. With support from his middle order teammates, UAE eventually set a strong target, helped by some wayward Scottish bowling, with every bowler other than McMullen going at over five and a half runs per over.
At the mid-innings interval, another legend of Scottish cricket was publicly recognised with induction into the Cricket Hall of Fame, as George Reifer received the acclaim of the crowd and his golden commemorative cap, supported by his ex-teammates and friends from Uddingston Cricket Club.
The Scottish reply began with a wobble, as for the second consecutive match George Munsey fell without scoring inside the first over, quickly followed by McMullen. It was left to centurion from Friday Fin McCreath (28) to rebuild the innings again with captain Berrington.
As the shadows grew longer in the evening sun, a local power cut meant the score box stopped working, which meant the bizarre scene of the use of a manual scoring device for fifteen overs. This seemed to suck the momentum out of the Scottish reply, and with fifteen overs to go UAE were in the driving seat.
Jones and Cross kicked on impressively, with some power hitting from Jones and deft accuracy from Cross reducing the target to a manageable one, before a late flurry of wickets brought the tail into the game as the sun set.
With one over left Scotland needed ten runs, and Safyaan Sharif hit a massive six out of the ground first ball, but was then run out at the non-strikers end off the third ball, bringing number 11 Ollie Jones to the crease. He helped Davidson sprint two runs to level the scores, before Davidson slashed a wide full delivery to the boundary to seal the win and spark Scottish celebrations.