Saltires break their duck and inflict Northants' first defeat

This new-look Saltires side have threatened on several occasions to break their duck and they did so at the eighth attempt at the expense of previously unbeaten Northants.

Coetzer's wonderful 122 helped propel his side to 223-7 in a match reduced to 36 overs a side. It was their largest total of the campaign and sufficient to ensure victory by 12 runs.

With a good total on the board, the Saltires were anxious for an early breakthrough and Safyaan Sharif, making his CB40 debut, obliged in the third over.

Ben Howgego had moved to 12 when he mis-cued the Dunfermline bowler to Preston Mommsen at short mid-wicket.

Skipper Stephen Peters and Irishman Niall O'Brien advanced the total to 49 before Josh Davey clean-bowled the former for 21.

The Saltires claimed a third when Gordon Goudie induced a false shot from Alex Wakely who was well taken by Mommsen at short extra covers.

However, a century stand between O'Brien and Rob White kept the county in contention though both batsmen were helped on their way by some Scottish fielding indiscretions especially when Gregor Maiden failed to complete a regulation stumping that would have removed the Irishman.

Nonetheless the asking rate had risen to more than nine going into the final ten overs and O'Brien looked in command. Maiden redeemed himself by stumping White off Haq who claimed a second wicket with a return catch to remove the dangerous Bilal Shafayat.

When O'Brien was finally run out for a 75-ball 81, the Saltires seized their chance thanks to some splendid death bowling from Davey and Gordon Drummond.

Earlier, Coetzer produced a batting masterclass as the Saltires once again posted a total in excess of 200. A sweet drive through extra cover in the opening over from David Lucas set the tone and a further two boundaries in the next from Jack Brooks confirmed that Coetzer was taking his ODI form into this match.

He lost opening partner Fraser Watts, caught behind off Brooks with the total on 28, but added 93 with Calum MacLeod for the second wicket.

Coetzer reached a fourth half-century in his last five Scotland outings with a seventh boundary, a well-timed straight drive off Lee Daggett.

MacLeod departed, bowled round his legs for 33 by David Willey as he attempted to increase the rate, while Davey was trapped lbw by Brooks as the Saltires stuttered in mid-innings.

However, Preston Mommsen added urgency with a rapid 32 to put the Scots back on course.

The Carlton batsman has established himself as the middle-order "finisher" of the side and he had no sooner arrived at the crease than a short delivery from Brooks was dispatched over the mid-wicket boundary for the first maximum of the day.

He repeated the feat with a perfectly timed clip off his toes, prompting Scotland to call for the batting power-play.

Sadly, Mommsen holed-out during the first over of the fielding restrictions to spark the loss of three wickets for three wickets in eight balls.However, Coetzer remained as a calming presence, going on to reach his half-century in the 32nd over.

He had faced just 98 deliveries with thirteen boundaries.

Having reached the landmark, the Durham batsman opened out with a majestic six-over long-off before receiving his one slice of luck when he was dropped off the next delivery by Peters.

Coetzer took advantage to record a second clearance before finally being caught on the long-on boundary from the penultimate delivery of the innings.

His 122 came from 109 balls and included fourteen boundaries and those two sixes. The Saltires will aim for a second win against Warwickshire today.