Watts and MacLeod steer Scots home

Chasing a fairly imposing 258 for victory, Scotland made the worst possible start when Kyle Coetzer was out in the second over. He has been in sparkling form this season with eight scores above 50 but departed for a duck, caught by Louis van der Westhuizen off Kola Burger.

Watts and Calum MacLeod then set about rebuilding the innings, with former Warwickshire all-rounder MacLeod contributing 46 – his highest score for Scotland – to a partnership of 80 before he edged a Christi Viljoen delivery to the keeper.

Davey then proved that the knee injury which prevented him from bowling was no impediment to him scurrying between the wickets. The Middlesex all-rounder had just a couple of boundaries in his unbeaten 35, the remainder coming in ones and twos. Watts’ unbeaten 46 included four boundaries.

Earlier, the Saltires bowlers had been given a predictably tough time by a Namibian batting line-up renowned for prodigious hitting.

Gordon Goudie managed to keep openers Pikky Ya France and Viljoen in check but Saffy Sharif came in for some early punishment. The Dunfermline youngster was quickly removed from the attack only for skipper Gordon Drummond to also come under fire. Namibia reached 49 from nine overs when Richie Berrington made the breakthrough, trapping Ya France in front for 18.

However, a century stand between Viljoen and Sarel Burger threatened to take the game away from the Scots.

Drummond turned to Majid Haq in the hope of re-establishing control but the Africans were determined not to be dictated to by the Clydesdale spinner. Instead Haq found himself conceding runs at an unaccustomed rate to Viljoen and Burger.

The stand was finally broken by the excellent Berrington who bowled the opener for 78. He had hit ten fours and one six but his departure brought the equally-dangerous van der Westhuizen to the wicket. His 24 included two sixes and forced Scotland onto the back foot. They fought back, though, and captured three wickets for only four runs.

Haq had Burger (58) and van der Westhuizen caught by Watts and Goudie. Craig Williams was then clean-bowled by Goudie for a duck. Haq removed Gerrie Snyman, courtesy of MacLeod’s catch and Sharif picked up two morale-boosting scalps, although some late hitting from Ray van Schoor and Gerhard Erasmus took the home side to 257.

The Scots, having already beaten the Netherlands twice in the qualifying tournament, will attempt to do the double over Namibia in today’s rematch.