Cricket: Calum MacLeod shines in Saltires win against Canada

CALUM MacLeod produced a match-winning innings but fell just one run short of a maiden ODI century as Scotland ended their long wait for action by easing past Canada at sun-kissed Cambusdoon yesterday.

The Saltires had been idle since 4 June but they brushed off the cobwebs to claim two valuable points in their quest to book a place at the 2015 World Cup.

This win takes them into second place in the eight-team table from which the top two will automatically claim the big prize and, while they have played two games more than third-top UAE, their fate is in their own hands.

After restricting the Canadians to 176 on a slow but remarkably good track, the Scots had MacLeod to thank for finishing the job. The Uddingston batsman, attracting the interest of Northants, produced easily the best innings of the day on his way to a first ODI half-century.

MacLeod saw the early loss of opening partner Kyle Coetzer with just six runs on the board but his stand of 92 for the second wicket with Josh Davey put the Scots on course. Davey contributed just 23 of them before being bowled by Durand Soraine while Gordon Goudie weighed in with a rapid 17 in his mid-innings pinch-hitting role. However, MacLeod compiled the one innings of substance in his best ODI display to date.

Using the sweep shot to particularly good effect, the 23 year-old’s half-century came at almost a run-a-ball and included eight boundaries. MacLeod looked set to reach three figures, having moved to 98 when an overthrow rather anti-climactically presented him with his final run and the Scots with a four-wicket victory with 46 balls to spare. His 99 came from 127 balls and included 12 boundaries.

Earlier Scotland produced a workmanlike performance in the field to restrict their rivals to little more than three runs an over. However, there was spirited resistance from Ruvindu Gunasekera, who compiled a fine 69-ball half-century before he was teased out of his crease by Majid Haq and Craig Wallace completed the stumping. Zeeshan Siddiqi kept the score ticking over with a patient 43 before he became Haq’s second victim after hitting his own wicket.

Haq recorded excellent figures of two for 19 from his ten overs but Scotland’s cause was aided by some chaotic Canadian batting as the visitors slipped to 176 all out, losing their last three wickets to run-outs.