World Cup qualifier: Scotland hit four off final ball to edge Ireland by one wicket in thrilling finish
- Published
Brandon McMullen celebrates after taking one of his five wickets
Ireland v Scotland: World Cup qualifier - Group B, Bulawayo |
Ireland 286-8 (50 overs): Campher 120, Dockrell 69; McMullen 5-34 |
Scotland 289-9 (50 overs): Leask 91*, McBride 56, Watt 47; Adair 3-57 |
Scotland win by one wicket |
Michael Leask edged a four off the final ball to secure a dramatic one-wicket win for Scotland over Ireland in their World Cup qualifier Group B game.
Curtis Campher's superb 120 had helped Ireland to a total of 286-8, with Brandon McMullen taking 5-34.
Scotland looked to be in trouble at 122-6 but Leask's brilliant unbeaten 91 saw them snatch victory in a thriller.
Scotland were playing their first match of their campaign while Ireland lost to Oman in their opening game on Monday.
That five-wicket defeat had come as an early setback to Ireland's hopes of advancing to the Super Six stage of the tournament and the loss to Scotland represents another major blow with fixtures against Sri Lanka on Sunday and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday still to come.
Scotland can go into their next match against the UAE on Friday with confidence, with encounters against Oman and the Sri Lankans to follow.
The leading three from both groups will advance to the Super Six stage, with the top two from the 10-team tournament progressing to the World Cup in India later this year.
Ireland's innings got off to a horrendous start as opener Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie both fell to medium pacer McMullen without scoring in the second and third ball of the first over to leave their side 1-2.
Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker also succumbed cheaply, scoring six apiece, with only Andy McBrine's 32 providing early resistance.
Campher and Dockrell breathed fresh life into the Irish innings with a sixth wicket stand of 136, before Dockrell became McMullen's fourth victim after contributing 69.
Campher's 120 came off just 108 balls and included nine fours and four sixes, before he was bowled by McMullen in the penultimate ball of the innings.
George Dockrell congratulates Ireland centurion Curtis Campher
Chris McBride's 56 was the high point of the early part of Scotland's reply but wickets fell regularly thereafter to leave them 164 runs short of their opponents' total with four wickets remaining in the 28th over.
Leask and Mark Watt (47) helped their side rally, putting on 82 for the eighth wicket, then as the Scots closed in on victory, Safyaan Sharif was dismissed in the penultimate ball with his side one run short of their target.
Leask completed his memorable contribution, which saw him blast 91 off just 61 balls including nine fours and four sixes, by scoring the decisive boundary.
Mark Adair was the pick of the Ireland bowlers with figures of 3-57.