Coetzer ton is platform for Scots to win first ODI against a Test nation

● Skipper hails victory over Zimbabwe as a ‘huge’ achievement for his players

Scotland were celebrating last night after surging to their first ever official ODI triumph over a top-tier nation.

Skipper Kyle Coetzer’s stunning century paved the way for the 27-run success against Zimbabwe at the Grange.

Now Coetzer and Co will turn their focus to making it a double when the sides clash again in the capital tomorrow.

The captain’s heroics – backed up by sparkling 50s by Craig Wallace and Michael Leask – propelled the Scots to 317 for six in their 50 overs.

They then excelled in the field with a five-wicket haul for Con de Lange and two remarkable run-outs to make sure the visitors were never in the hunt.

Zimbabwe were all out for 272 as they chased a rainreduced target of 299 off 43.

Michael Leask set the tone by getting rid of Hamilton Masakadza with a pinpoint throw from midwicket to keeper Matthew Cross.

Cross was back in the spotlight to safely take the catch when Craig Ervine top-edged Chris Sole straight up in the air. And Scotland took total control as Safyaan Sharif pouched Solomon Mire in the deep to make it 97 for three.

Sikander Raja was then stranded out of his crease by a rocket return from Richie Berrington.

After the rain interruption,

0 Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer celebrates his century. de Lange kept up the momentum by clean bowling Ryan Burl behind his legs to make it 125 for five.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and Berrington ruled out a late Zimbabwean rally by dismissing bighitter Sean Williams for 70.

De Lange quickly struck again to dispose of Peter Moor beforeremovingskippergraeme Cremer lbw. His fourth scalp left Zimbabwe needing 106 from ten overs.

They refused to buckle and a breezy and battling 92 from Malcolm Waller set up a tension-packed finale. His spree left the visitors needing 38 from 18 balls, but Scotland held their nerve. De Lange prompting Waller to lob a catch to Sole just inside the rope and Sole made sure by holding a steepler off Sharif.

Coetzersaid the historic triumph was “absolutely huge”.

He added: “Things got a bit tense in the closing stages, but I backed the guys fully.

“I had total confidence in themandnowiamoverthe moon – not just for the team, but for everyone in the Cricket Scotland set-up.

“It is an absolutely huge result for the sport north of the border, especially so soon after we beat Sri Lanka in an unofficial ODI in London. To beat two Test countries in the space of a month is just fantastic.

“We knew at the start of the season that this stage of the summer would be our focal point. The matches earlier in the week against Namibia were big in terms of the World Cricket League, however facing the bigger sides was always going to be very significant.” India surged into a second successive Champions Trophy final when they proved to be Bangladesh’s nemesis at a global event once again.

Having ended the Tigers’ campaigns at the most recent World Cup and World Twenty20, India made it a hat-trick of triumphs in emphatic fashion in front of 24,340 fans – a one-day international record at Edgbaston – to set up a mouthwatering final showdown with fierce rivals Pakistan on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma’s flawless unbeaten 123 and Virat Kohli’s 96 not out in an unbroken 178-run stand ensured Bangladesh’s 264 for seven was never likely to trouble the defending champions, who cruised to a nine-wicket victory with 59 balls to spare.

India had an unlikely bowling hero in Kedar Jadhav, who took the wickets of dangermen Tamim Iqbal (70) and Mushfiqur Rahim (61) after the pair had put on a 123-run stand from 127 balls for the third wicket.

Bangladesh, playing their first ICC semi-final and arguably the most important match in their history, were left to rue an inability to build on that platform – although they did fare significantly better than last month’s practice match, when they were bowled out by India for 84.

They can hold their heads high after reaching the knockout stages courtesy of a dramatic win over New Zealand last week although they were big underdogs against India, who had seen off Pakistan and South Africa to reach the last four.

India’s century hero Rohit Sharma said of his unbeaten 123: “It was a great knock, especially when it comes on a winning note. It’s always memorable to win the game and score a hundred. The last few games I was trying to get a big one and I was quite determined today.”

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza admitted they didn’t set a big enough target. He said: “We could have scored 300 or 320 but once they got our two set batsman out that was a big setback.”