UAE defeat Scotland in World Cricket League

Craig Wallace top-scored for Scotland against the UEA in Sharjah
Craig Wallace top-scored for Scotland against the UEA in Sharjah
ICC World Cricket League, Sharjah:
UEA 171-6 (47.5 overs) beat Scotland 167 (48.5 overs) by four wickets
Match scorecard (external site)external-link

Swapnil Patil led the United Arab Emirates to a four-wicket win over Scotland in their ICC World Cricket League match in Sharjah.

Patil steered the UAE past Scotland's mark of 167 all out with an unbeaten knock of 55 after Shaiman Anwar had led the response with 58 from 115 balls.

And they reached the target with 13 balls remaining.

Craig Wallace top scored with 40 before the Scots were bowled out with seven balls of their 50 overs left.

It was revenge for the UAE after Scotland's seven-wicket win in Sharjah in last month's ICC Intercontinental Cup match.

Khurram Khan took three wickets during the victory over Scotland
Khurram Khan took three wickets during the victory over Scotland

The Scots needed to win by a substantial margin to overtake Ireland at the top of the Championship table, while the UAE were looking to leapfrog the visitors into second spot in the competition, from which the top two qualify for the Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand.

Scotland lost the toss and were asked to bat, but openers Calum MacLeod and Kyle Coetzer were out inside nine overs.

MacLeod was the first to fall, caught for seven off the bowling of Shadeep Silva in the seventh over.

Coetzer (17) became Silva's second victim, falling leg before wicket, and Fraser Watts (five) departed, caught behind to Amjad Javed four balls later.

Preston Mommsen and Richie Berrington attempted to stabilise the innings, moving the score on to 58 before the latter became Scotland's fourth man out, stumped for nine off the bowling of Ahmed Raza in the 18th over.

Scotland's slow progress continued and 11 runs were added before Mommsen was run out for 27 off the penultimate ball of the 23rd over.

That brought Wallace to the middle and he and Josh Davey added 24, pushing the score on to 93, before the latter perished for 15, run out by Raza.

Wallace and Madjid Haq then combined in a 56-run partnership lasting 12 overs.

The former was bowled by Khurram Khan, who took three wickets overall, captain Gordon Drummond (three) fell to the same bowler and Haq (30) was run out two balls later.

Safyaan Sharif (four) was Khan's third victim, leaving Gordon Goudie unbeaten on one.

Goudie immediately set about the UAE batting line-up, accounting for openers Arshad Ali (three) and Amjad Ali (14).

However, despite Sharif picking up the wicket of Saqib Ali and running out Khan in successive overs, Anwar steadied the ship, ably assisted by Patil.

Berrington finally dismissed Anwar then picked up the wicket of Shetty for 25 runs, but Scotland were unable to remove Patil, who ensured the UAE secured victory with more than two overs to spare.

The two sides face one another again in two days' time in another league match before their ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier campaign begins four days later.