Scots’ easy win over Namibia sets T20 stage

RICHIE Berrington showed his class as Scotland continued their T20 World Cup qualifying preparations with an easy win over Namibia yesterday.

The Clydesdale batsman ran up a brilliant unbeaten 61 to seal a six-wicket triumph with 22 balls to spare at The Grange, Edinburgh.

He said: “It was nice for me to spend a bit of time at the crease and get a few balls away but, to be honest, all the boys have been hitting the ball quite well. I thought our bowlers were excellent and put them under pressure early, and then the spinners managed to squeeze them in the middle overs.”

Chasing a modest 128, the Scots had slumped to 37-3 when Berrington strode to the crease to take the match by the scruff of the neck. He took a few deliveries to settle before unleashing an array of shots that carried him to a half-century from just 31 balls, the landmark arriving with the third of his four boundaries.

He hit the same number of sixes, one of them an enormous straight effort that soared over the sightscreen. Fittingly, Berrington ended the match with another boundary to finish unbeaten on 61, while Preston Mommsen was unbeaten on 15. Earlier, Durham paceman Gavin Main claimed two wickets to help Scotland seize the initiative. They never released their grip as spin-twins Mark Watt and Michael Leask came together to claim three wickets at a combined cost of just 36 runs.

Namibia enjoyed a brief rally when Raymond van Schoor and JP Kotze added 61 runs, the former top-scoring with 42. But Ali Evans removed both batsmen with consecutive deliveries to end the visitors’ hopes of much-needed late runs and they had to settle for 127-8. Berrington added: “It’s always nice to start with a win.”

Scotland play a final warmup match against Jersey today before opening their qualifying campaign against UAE on Thursday.