Harare: Scotland staged a major upset in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday, defeating twice World Champions West Indies in a Super Six clash by 7 wickets.
The once cricketing giants not only slipped to a new low with the loss but also failed to ensure qualification for the ODI World Cup, which is set to be hosted by India later this year. The defeat marks the first time since 1975 that Caribbeans failed to seal World Cup qualification.
Scotland shone with both bat and ball at Harare, producing a remarkable performance to crush the qualification hopes of the Caribbeans
This result ensures that West Indies, who were crowned champions of the world in 1975 and 1979, can, at best, finish with only four points in the Super Six stage of the tournament.
The Men in Maroon can no longer be among the top-two finishers in the Qualifiers, who will automatically seal places for the main event.
Scotland’s emphatic win was driven by an exceptional display from their bowlers and a 125-run stand between Matthew Cross and Brandon McMullen.
Chasing 182, Scotland lost a wicket off the very first ball, when Christopher McBride hit a low full toss from Holder to the mid-wicket. Any hopes of further breakthroughs were put to rest by Cross and McMullen as their steady stand yielded 40 runs in the powerplay overs.
Though the West Indies bowling remained disciplined, they were unable to break the Cross-McMullen partnership. Their only chance came when McMullen hit one straight off Akeal Hosein to the mid-wicket in the 12th over, but Kyle Mayers spilt the take. The duo had ensured that Scotland needed just 3.52 runs an over in the second half of their chase. McMullen also got to his fifty in the 25th over.
The Scotland scoring rate picked up soon after, as both Cross and McMullen went for quick runs. Cross hit a hat-trick of boundaries against Sinclair in the 27th over to reach the 40s, before bringing up his half-century in the 29th over. Scotland was steady despite the loss McMullen (69 in 106 balls, with eight fours and a six) in the 30th over.
In the overs 26-35, they added 56 runs to close in on the West Indies target. Cross (74* in 107 balls, with seven fours) had captain Richie Berrington (13*) by his side when Scotland eventually overhauled the West Indies target in the 44th over.
Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein took a wicket each for WI.
In the morning, Scotland’s new-ball pair of Chris Sole and Brandon McMullen rattled the West Indies lineup in the first Powerplay. McMullen brought the first three dismissals, Johnson Charles fell while trying to go over the covers, Shamarh Brooks edged one to slips after going at one with heavy hands and Brandon King (22) spooned a simple catch back to the medium pacer. Brooks and Johnson were dismissed for ducks.