SCOTLAND FALL TO WEST INDIES IN WORLD CUP OPENER
Scotland fell to a 35-run defeat to the West Indies in Kolkata to open their Men's T20 World Cup campaign.
Inserted by Scotland, the West Indies posted 182-5 behind a scintillating 36-ball 64 from Shimron Hetmyer - a total that was ultimately beyond Scotland, who were bowled out for 147.
Richie Berrington said: "I think our first 20 overs in the field were really good, coming off at the halfway stage we were pretty confident that we could chase that down, particularly in those conditions.
"I felt like in the first 13, 14 overs we got ourselves in a really strong position where we could chase that down, but losing two set batters in a couple of overs just changed the momentum a little bit.
"We know we've got a lot of batting depth in this team, but towards the back end we just didn't quite fire as we know we can."
West Indian opening pair Brandon King and Shai Hope combined for 54 for the opening wicket – but were kept in check by the Scotland attack, scoring at just over a run-a-ball.
Both fell in consecutive overs, Michael Leask bowling Hope (19), before Olly Davidson struck for the first time in international cricket to remove King (35) - the West Indies reduced to 58-2 in the 10th over.
Enter Shimron Hetmyer – who twice miscued shots that fell agonisingly short of Scotland fielders – before making the most of his opportunity, as he cleared the rope on six occasions.
He added 81 from just 37 deliveries alongside Rovman Powell (24), and struck the fastest half-century by a West Indian at a World Cup – from 22 deliveries.
It took a spectacular catch from Brandon McMullen to eventually dismiss the powerful West Indian, for 64 – McMullen diving at full-stretch running around from long-off to cling on from the bowling of Safyaan Sharif.
Scotland did finish strongly at the death, with Brad Currie (2-23) in particular excellent – dismissing Powell and Sherfane Rutherford (26) – as the West Indies finished on 182-5.
That total looked a long way off as Scotland lost their top three inside the powerplay - Michael Jones (1), Brandon McMullen (14) and George Munsey (19) all falling as the Scots slid to 37-3.
That brought the experienced Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce together, and the introduction of spin following the powerplay was to the liking of the Scotland skipper, as he struck Akeal Hosein's first ball for six.
The pair dragged Scotland back into the game - Bruce capitalising on an early life when he was shelled by Jason Holder - adding 78 in just 46 deliveries, as they dragged an asking rate that ballooned to 12 runs an over back below 10.
But Holder made the crucial intervention, as he dismissed Berrington for an excellent 24-ball 42, and the game swung back towards the West Indies when Gudakesh Motie trapped Tom Bruce (35) in front.
And up stepped Romario Shepherd to crush Scotland's hopes, taking a hat-trick, and four wickets in an over, as the Scots fell from 133-5 to 133-9 - eventually bowled out for 147.