Second consecutive loss to Ireland as Scots fail to chase down huge total

Scotland came up short in their bid for a morale-boosting win against Ireland in Dubai yesterday.

Chasing a huge 332 for victory, the Scots went down fighting as three players scored half-centuries. But they were ultimately punished for an under-par bowling performance and for falling too far behind the required run-rate.

They were given a solid start by George Munsey (30) and Michael Jones who went on to top-score with 74 – his second consecutive half-century.

However, a flurry of middle order wickets saw them slump to 169 for five with the required rate having rocketed to almost 12 runs-an-over. Calum Macleod and Michael Leask raised hopes of an unlikely win by adding 95 in just ten overs but the task proved just too much.

Leask bludgeoned a thrilling 59 from only 35 balls with five boundaries and two maximums before being bowled by George Dockrell while Macleod scored one run fewer. But the tail-enders were unable to sustain the required run-rate as the Scots closed on 307 for nine – 24 runs adrift.

Earlier the Scottish bowlers had little answer to Ireland’s hard-hitting batsmen. They did enjoy an early breakthrough when Stuart Whittingham removed Will Porterfield cheaply but a solid partnership between Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie laid the platform for their big total, with Stirling going on to topscore with 74.

Balbirnie fell three runs short of a second successive half-century but Niall O’brien scored 51 from 47 balls before his brother Kevin smashed 46 from only 24 balls.

Whittingham was the pick of Scotland’s attack with three for 58 while Scott Cameron, on his first ODI appearance, claimed the scalps of both O’briens. But the spinners came in for some hefty punishment as the Irish amassed 331 for six.

Scotland will continue their preparations for the World Cup Qualifiers in March when they face UAE on Sunday.