Unlucky Scots bow out under a shadow of fury and controversy

SCOTTISH fury exploded yesterday after another monumental controversial umpiring call at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers elbowed Scotland out of the race for a place in England and Wales next year amid a toxic mixture of human frailties and the force of Mother Nature.

Needing victory to beat the Windies and secure a place at the World Cup finals next year, the Scots appeared to in control after having knocked out the two-time champions for just 198 and with Richie Berrington pacing their reply.

However, when a freak thunderstorm ended the contest at Harare Sports Club yesterday, the Scots were five runs behind via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method and their World Cup hopes, for a team which played with both passion and style, cruelly extinguished.

The key moment was when Aussie umpire Paul Wilson somehow judged that Berrington, who had helped his team recover from 25-3, was out lbw to a ball that would certainly have missed three other stumps down the leg side.

Wilson’s nickname was Blocker during his playing days, where he has one Test cap for the Aussies, and there are many in Scotland today who will feel he blocked their path to the World Cup.

It was a shocking call, in a tournament that has had many such aberrations, with former Zimbabwe Sports Minister David Coltart having earlier called for an investigation into a similar dubious no ball call, which again benefited the Windies, and cost the hosts in a high-stakes battle on Monday when Sikandar Raza was dismissed.

The BBC described Scotland’s painful elimination as controversial.

“Richie Berrington hit 33 after Scotland were reduced to 25-3 in reply. But his controversial dismissal, given out lbw to a ball that replays appeared to show was heading down the leg side, proved costly as Scotland’s hopes of a fourth World Cup appearance — after reaching the 1999, 2007 and 2015 tournaments — were ended by the weather,’’ the BBC reported.

“Scotland were 105-4 in the 32nd over when Windies off-spinner Ashley Nurse rapped Berrington’s pads and umpire Paul Wilson raised his finger after lengthy deliberation.

“Although the ball deflected into the off side, replays showed it had struck Berrington in or just outside the line of leg stump and would have gone past the stumps with the spin.’’

Britain’s biggest selling daily newspaper, The Sun, screamed that ‘’Scotland were denied a World Cup spot by rain and a controversial lbw decision,’’ saying the Scots “will look back at Richie Berrington being given out lbw to Ashley Nurse for 33, with the ball sliding down leg.

“It was a marginal call but with no DRS available, the Scots could do nothing. Had Berrington remained, it is likely they would have been ahead of the required total.’’

The Guardian newspaper also feasted in the controversy.

“Rain, a controversial lbw and DLS: Scotland miss out on Cricket World Cup,’’ the newspaper said.

“To make matters worse for Scotland, Richie Berrington had been given out lbw to a ball that appeared to be going down the leg side a few overs before the rain started to fall.

“Had he not been given out, and had he scored the same number of runs as the next man in — Michael Leask — Scotland would have been ahead of the DLS rate by three runs thanks to their extra wicket in hand.’’

ESPNCricinfo, in their live ball-by-ball coverage of the match, wondered how that decision had been reached.

“Nurse to Berrington, OUT, given lbw! Huge wicket. Good length on middle stump, would’ve gone down the leg side though! Impact was outside leg stump, but oh dear, Berrington’s gone. If only this game had DRS.’’

Captain Kyle Coetzer shared his nation’s disappointment.

“I’m extremely proud of the guys, and we’ve shown we’re capable of competing. A couple of decisions have hurt us, and there was one today that didn’t go our way. Our spin bowling has been exception, it’s been up there with the best.

“The WI seam attack was good, so credit to them and credit to Jason and his team. Our boys, however, have been exceptional.”

Scottish star Michael Leask said he was more than gutted.

‘’Gutted doesn’t even come close, the cricket this team has played is this tournament has been amazing, can’t believe it ended like that, @ICC, @CricketScotland, thanks to everyone back home for all the support,’’ he said.

And there was a lot of support for him on Twitter.

“Keep your heads up, you played some great cricket and we are all gutted it ended this way but heroes all of you!!! Proud of the whole team players to backroom staff. You deserve to be on the big stage,’’ said Callander Cricket.

Pete Maksimczyk said, “you bowled like a dream, and were taking us to victory, you’ve been robbed,’’ while Brian Robertson said “we are proud and furious in the same proportions. The @ICC has made a huge mistake only allowing two teams through. It will damage associate cricket not improve it. Well done to the team. You couldn’t have done more. Unlike Paul Wilson.’’

Charles Davie said he was ‘’very proud of the team — the @ICC are a joke,’’ while Allan said he was “absolutely gutted for Scotland.

This will have a serious impact on the next four years for them.

“Played magnificent cricket and those two umpiring decisions will haunt some of those players forever. Why can’t the ICC see that these teams are of good enough quality to have a run on the big stage?” — Sports Reporter/The Sun/The Guardian.