Scotland’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series at Mannofield ended in a two-wicket defeat to the United States of America.
The Saltires posted 249-8 largely thanks to Calum MacLeod’s sublime 133 not out, but the Americans chased down their target with one ball to spare with Jaskaran Malhotra’s 32 off 25 balls seeing them home.
It has still been a good week for Scotland in Aberdeen with three wins out of four moving them to within four points of Cricket World Cup League 2 leaders Oman with eight games in hand.
However, victory appeared to be within the hosts’ grasp with USA requiring 25 from the last two overs before Malhotra’s contribution. The win moves them above UAE up to third in the standings.
Rain on Monday and Tuesday meant the start was delayed by an hour due to wet underfoot conditions.
When play commenced at 12pm with USA captain Monak Patel put Scotland in to bat after winning the toss.
On a pitch offering the bowlers some assistance, the Saltires posted a respectable total, which had looked beyond them for the majority of the innings.
However, Scotland were rescued by another majestic batting display from MacLeod, who has been exemplary throughout the series.
In four innings he has scored 403 runs with this century – which featured 13 fours and two sixes – taking him past 3000 runs in One-Day International cricket.
Kyle Coetzer is the only other Scot to have reached that landmark.
Patient chase
In response up against tight bowling and sharp fielding, USA had to be patient in their chase.
Steven Taylor was removed in the 10th over for 16 courtesy of a brilliant run-out by Coetzer at mid-on.
Patel joined Sushant Modani in the middle and they added 52 together, rotating the strike and trying to wear Scotland down.
Then in the 22nd over Modani (28) drove Hamza Tahir into the hands of Craig Wallace at cover.
Captain Patel looked like having a key role to play and reached 50 from 56 balls, but he added no more, slicing Tahir to Gavin Main at backward point to leave the Americans 118-3.
USA were always in touch but Holland was out for 12 in the 37th over, caught by the diving Leask at point off Main’s bowling.
Gajanand Singh added a brisk 33 in a stand of 58 with Jones, who reached 50 in the 42nd over.
Singh chipped a catch to Coetzer at extra-cover off Leask and to leave USA needing 46 from the final six overs.
Jones looked like the man to guide them to victory but after hitting Leask for six in the 47th over he perished for 62 a few balls later, sending a catch Safyaan Sharif at deep square leg.
Nisarg Patel (1) and Nosthush Kenjige (2) fell in quick succession to Sharif and Main, but with 15 required off the final over from Sharif, Malhotra clubbed a six, a four and after the Scots gave away four byes he scrambled the single needed to win.
Masterful MacLeod
Earlier, in Scotland’s innings MacLeod arrived at the crease in the fifth over and it quickly became apparent he would need to fulfil the anchor role.
Left-arm seamer Saurabh Netravalkar bowled an excellent opening spell in which he removed Wallace – caught by Taylor at fine leg off a top edge – for six and Coetzer – caught behind by Patel – for nine.
When Holland replaced Netravalkar he struck twice in his first over, the 11th, bowling Michael Jones for five and trapping captain Matthew Cross LBW for a duck to leave Scotland 31-4.
MacLeod and Chris Greaves added 42 for the fifth wicket before the latter was out for 14 LBW to Holland in the 19th over.
That brought Leask to the wicket and he played a patient innings of 41 in a stand of 92 with MacLeod before being caught and bowled by Taylor.
Mark Watt was then caught behind off Taylor for 3, but MacLeod, ably supported by Sharif (25), added 61 before Sharif was run out in the final over.
MacLeod reached his century in the 46th over and finished unbeaten. Holland’s 3-28 was the outstanding American bowling performance but Taylor (2-51) and Netravalkar (2-54) played their part.
