BEAUTIFUL SCOTLAND DOMINATE USA IN SERIES OPENER – Cricket Scotland

Scotland opened their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 in the USA with a stunning 10-wicket win over their hosts.

Bowling first, Brad Currie and Brandon McMullen were superb with the new ball as they decimated the US top order, with the Americans falling to 59-8 before eventually recovering to 144 all out.

Despite a lower order recovery, the total turned out to be far below par; Andy Umeed (98*) and Charlie Tear (43*) added an uninterrupted 145 as they took their side of the target inside 25 overs.

The US's troubles started early when McMullen broke through in the fourth over, with Sushant Modani (8) taking the lead at first slip from Mark Watt, who took a smart catch low.

Currie struck in the next over, removing the dangerous Andries Gous with one that hit behind and tapped the opener onto the pads.

The US decline continued when McMullen struck in successive overs, a stunning delivery that clipped the top of the stump, proving too good for Monank Patel (0).

Currie caused more trouble in his next over, removing Saiteja Mukkamalla and Shayan Jahangir with successive deliveries to reduce the hosts to 21-5.

The United States had slumped from 17-0 to 21-5, losing four wickets without adding a run in the space of twelve deliveries.

Milind Kumar and Harmeet Singh leveled things up somewhat to take the total to 39 before Brad Wheal did so for Kumar (5), who fell behind to Matthew Cross.

Wheal struck again to remove Singh (22), a good length delivery that went big off the American batsman and found the shoulder of his bat as Andy Umeed took the catch at second slip.

Currie's return to the attack saw him clean up Jasdeep Singh, the fourth duck of the innings, to leave the US in the mud 59-8.

Shadley van Schalkwyk and Nosthush Kenjige would start rebuilding their side's innings, and they would get a patient 71 for the ninth wicket, which more than doubled the US total.

McMullen broke the partnership with a scorching yorker to bowl over Kenjige for a valuable 21, but Van Schalkywk would move to his 50 when he hit Michael Leask for back-to-back boundaries.

After taking Mark Watt for four, Van Schalkywk eventually departed for 58, trying to beat Watt in reverse as the US were dismissed for 144 inside 39 overs.

Currie (4-32) and McMullen (3-20) led the way for Scotland, with their devastating opening burst ultimately proving decisive despite the resilience of the US lower order.

Scotland's efforts with the ball looked even more impressive considering that just two days earlier they had scored 340 points at the same ground, a total that could trail an American 'A' side.

Umeed picked up where he left off with the bat from that match, in which he scored 100, looking imperiously through the leg side as he repeatedly steered the American attack towards the boundary.

Umeed, batting alongside Tear, would go on to his maiden ODI half-century after just 36 deliveries as he smashed Jasdeep Singh six times over square leg.

Umeed's shot selection would come from Kenjige's bowling, with the Scottish opener swinging down the wicket and hitting the spinner gloriously over his head and over the stand.

Umeed and Tear made light work of the run-chase and brought an opening stand of 100 runs inside 17 overs.

With Scotland closing in on victory, Umeed neared a maiden ODI century in his second appearance, but with four needed to win, and the Somerset man on 94, he pushed an attempted slog sweep to the boundary, leaving him painfully lagged behind what could have happened. were a sparkling 100.

It was still a brutal 79-ball 98 from the Scottish opener which, alongside Tear, who made a composed 43*, saw his side cruise to a 10-wicket victory inside 25 overs.

Scotland return to action on Tuesday, October 29 when they play Nepal at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

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