Saltires spurn chance to sink Sabres

Published on Wednesday 20 May 2009 22:56

SCOTLAND squandered an excellent chance to finish their FP Trophy campaign on a high against Somerset at the Citylets Grange yesterday.

Gavin Hamilton's men did the hard bit in restricting a free-scoring Sabres outfit to 220-8 and then batting themselves into a decent position.

However, a series of soft dismissals preserved the visitors unbeaten Group B record and denied the Scots their second win despite Australian import Cameron Borgas signing off with an excellent unbeaten 78.

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Hamilton said: "We have really taken things forward during the last few games. The dressing room is a happy place and we're closer to where I want us to be as a squad.

"It was disappointing not to push on and win today because we bowled and fielded really well and we have nailed that aspect of our game. However, a couple of soft dismissals cost us and we need to develop more of a winning mentality."

Chasing 221 for victory, Hamilton and Fraser Watts carried on where they had left off against Kent on Monday with a breezy opening stand. The pair put on 34 in seven overs and looked in no difficulty until Watts, having reached 16, played across a delivery from Zander de Bruyn and was bowled.

Hamilton went on to make 29 before he fell to the same bowler, failing to clear Arul Suppiah at backward point while attempting to put away his fourth boundary.

The Saltires were still comfortably up with the rate until the loss of Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum in quick succession left them wobbling on 76-4 in the 19th over.

Borgas and Richie Berrington added 52 slowly but their contribution meant 79 were needed from the final ten overs when Scotland called the batting power-play.

Jan Stander made his intentions clear with a huge six over mid-wicket as home hopes were raised. However, they were just as quickly extinguished when Stander ran himself out before Sean Weeraratna suffered a first ball duck.

These setbacks left the tail with too much to do and Borgas, having stroked eight boundaries and a six, was left stranded when Somerset sealed a 37-run win in the 47th over.

Earlier Hamilton's first bowling change brought a double reward in Stander's second over. The South African, replacing Weeraratna at the pavilion end, suffered the ignominy of seeing his ten overs plundered for 106 runs during the corresponding fixture at Taunton. However, he exorcised some demons on this occasion with a fine performance which brought 3-45, starting with the prize wicket of Marcus Trescothick.

Trescothick had looked in the mood to repeat the hard-hitting exploits which saw him score a century a fortnight ago, the former England man moving smoothly to 18 with three boundaries. However, attempting another strike to the offside rope, Trescothick found himself brilliantly caught by Berrington, stretching at point.

Stander struck again with his next delivery which James Hildreth edged to Simon Smith. In the space of two balls the Stoneywood-Dyce player had removed the two centurions who helped the Sabres pile on a record 403 in the first meeting.

Craig Kieswetter, the dashing South African-born batsman, and Suppiah pushed the tally to 82 before Kieswetter, having hit four boundaries in his 42, miscued Watson to McCallum who took a fine catch running in from the wide long-on rope.

Watson struck again to bowl De Bruyn for six before Majid Haq put the visitors firmly on the back foot with a double wicket maiden, first having Suppiah stumped by Smith for 48 and then producing an unplayable delivery which bowled Peter Trego for a duck.

Omari Banks and Alfonso Thomas managed to inject some urgency, both scoring at a run-a-ball, but it was a measure of Scotland's control with the ball that Justin Langer, the Australian Test great, took 73 deliveries to score 39 before he provided Stander with his third wicket.

The Saltires now move into Twenty20 mode with warm- up matches against West Indies, Bangladesh and a PCA Select ahead of next month's World Cup.