5 months ago
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Scotland continued their impressive start to the T20 World Cup with a five-wicket victory over Namibia in Barbados.
With 40 needed from the last four overs in pursuit of 156, Michael Leask struck the experienced David Wiese for two sixes in the 17th over to swing the game in Scotland’s favour with 19 runs coming from six balls.
Leask crashed another six in the following over before falling for 35 from 17 balls but with only nine more needed the decisive hand had been played.
Captain Richie Berrington ended 47 not out as Scotland won with nine balls to spare when he hit another six.
Earlier, and having had the better of Tuesday's washout with England, Scotland took crucial wickets with the new ball and again at the death to hold Namibia to 155-9.
Seamer Brad Wheal took 3-33, including JP Kotze, who fell to the third ball of the match, and later the dangerous Wiese for 14.
Captain Gerhard Erasmus was Namibia's highest scorer with 52 from 31 balls.
Victory in their next game against Oman in Antigua on Sunday would put Scotland right in the mix for qualification from the group that also includes England and Australia.
They are top of the early group stage table although either England or Australia could replace them when they meet on Saturday.
Scotland were slightly behind the game for much of the chase, with George Munsey and Michael Jones, who put on an opening stand of 90 against England, falling for seven and 26 respectively.
They were 73-4 when Matthew Cross was out lbw on the sweep to left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz and the equation stretched to 78 needed from 48 balls as Namibia, who beat Oman in their opening game, turned the screw.
Berrington, having taken nine from his first 14 balls, sprung into life first by hoisting Tangeni Lungameni for six over mid-wicket and following with an elegant driven four but still the game was in the balance when two tight overs followed.
At that point Namibia turned to Wiese, their key man who had conceded only three from his previous two overs, but Leask hit a length ball over mid-wicket before powering a full toss in the same direction.
He had earlier taken 1-16 with his spin from two overs in an all-round bowling performance in which Namibia were reduced to 55-4 and then managed only 14 runs from the last 15 balls.
When Berrington hit the winning runs over long-on, The Proclaimers boomed around the famous Kensington Oval.
Were England to lose to Australia on Saturday and Scotland beat Oman a day later, Jos Buttler’s side could be left in a position of relying on net run-rate to pip the Scots and progress.
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