Diligent Scotland take down Papua New Guinea with six wickets to spare

Scotland put in a professional performance with ball and bat to defeat Papua New Guinea in Oman on Saturday, the six-wicket ODI victory coming in Cricket World Cup League Two action.
Scotland's Matthew Cross shone in the win over Papua New Guinea in Oman.Scotland's Matthew Cross shone in the win over Papua New Guinea in Oman.
Scotland's Matthew Cross shone in the win over Papua New Guinea in Oman.

Seven countries – the two who were playing in this game plus Oman, the USA, Nepal, Namibia and the UAE – are battling it out for places at the World Cup 2023 qualifying event via this competition which began way back in late 2019 before the pandemic.

Currently, the Scots, PNG and Oman are playing a number of games against each other in Muscat and Shane Burger’s side will have been delighted to play so well yesterday in conditions which were very different from the ones they encountered in Edinburgh just last weekend.

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Bowling first, Scotland got off to the perfect start when Safyaan Sharif had Tony Ura caught behind by wicketkeeper Matthew Cross.

Ali Evans, Gavin Main and then spinner Hamza Tahir soon got in the act as PNG fell to 81-4.

Tahir then took another two before the seam trio of Evans, Main and Sharif returned to take further scalps and bowl PNG out for 197.

Main finished with 3-33 and Tahir 3-36.

With the bat, captain Kyle Coetzer fell for 23 to leave his side 78-1, but opening partner Cross carried along on his merry way and by the time he was out for 70 off 75 balls his side were 136-2.

Calum MacLeod made 45 and then George Munsey 27 not out as they won with seven overs remaining.

Scotland play Oman next on Tuesday.