Scotland fail to recover from nightmare start in T20 World Cup defeat to Namibia

Scotland’s cricketers could not recover from a terrible first over of the match as they disappointingly lost out to Namibia in the Super 12s phase of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Namibia's Ruben Trumpelmann celebrates after the dismissal of Scotland's Richie Berrington. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

The Scots’ stand-in skipper Richie Berrington lost the toss in Abu Dhabi in the UAE and it was clear to see why Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus wanted to have a bowl first.

Namibia seam bowler Ruben Trumpelmann removed George Munsey, Calum MacLeod and Berrington and Scotland were 2-3 after just four balls of the Group Two clash.

That left Shane Burger’s men shellshocked and although Michael Leask made 44 to hoist his side up to 109-8 from 20 overs, it was never likely to be enough.

The Scottish bowlers did reduce their opponents to 67-4 at one point in the second half, but in the end 16th in the world Namibia won by four wickets with five balls remaining.

Twelfth in the world Scotland - with losses to Afghanistan and now Namibia in recent days - have a few days off now until they play three of the world’s best sides next week.

They will take on New Zealand (November 3, Dubai), India (November 5, Dubai) and Pakistan (November 7, Sharjah) and will be keen to regroup and try to cause a shock.

Back to Wednesday’s game and Trumpelmann had Munsey edging onto his stumps off the first ball and when MacLeod and then Berrington - captaining with Kyle Coetzer resting a finger injury - followed him back to the dug out the Namibians were in dreamland.

Matthew Cross and then Craig Wallace then took the score up to 18 before the latter was out LBW to David Wiese in the sixth over.

That meant that Scotland were 22-4 after the powerplay period.

Cross and Leask dug in and the Scots were 43-4 at the halfway point of the innings.

The former, promoted to open the batting, would have been keen to kick on, but his innings was ended on 19 when he was bowled by Jan Frylinck at the start of the 12th over.

All-rounder Leask did managed to kick on and he hit some boundaries and ran between the wickets very well to progress to 44 off 27 balls.

He was bowled by JJ Smith in the 17th over and, frustratingly, Scotland could only add 12 runs in the last three overs, Chris Greaves run out at the end for 25.

Defending a target of 110 was always going to be tough, but Scotland’s bowlers got off to a good start and, in the sixth over, Safyaan Sharif had Michael van Lingen caught by Berrington.

After the powerplay Namibia were 29-1.

In the ninth over Mark Watt, the spinner who has been Scotland’s best bowler in the competition, came into the attack and reviewed one LBW decision, but it was upheld.

Fellow spinner Chris Greaves did get a wicket in the next over though - Zane Green caught by Munsey in the deep - and at the halfway stage of their innings Namibia were 60-2.

Another spinner, Leask, then bowled Erasmus in the 11th over and when Watt had opener Craig Williams sharply stumped down the leg side seven balls later Scotland had a sniff with the opposition 67-4.

Namibia needed 25 runs from the remaining 30 balls and, despite a couple of wobbles, they reached 115-6, a six from Smit (26 not out) sealing it.

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