Intercontinental Cup: Afghanis hold the upper hand against Scots
Mike Stanger reports from New Cambusdoon on the first day of the first Intercontinental Cup meeting between Scotland and Afghanistan...
Afghanistan were asked to bat first in this crucial Intercontinental Cup match at Citylets Ayr, and they made the most of an under-par Scottish bowling and fielding performance, reaching 349 for the loss of only five wickets.
Now come the necessary calculations. It would be a rare phenomenon for the side batting first to declare, so important are the six points on offer for first-innings lead in the I-Cup. But, for them to have any chance of progressing to the I-Cup final, Afghanistan need all 20 points from this match. So they need the match to be concluded with an outright victory.
Therefore we can expect to see Afghanistan wanting to add quick runs on the second morning, so that they can have a go at the sometimes fragile Scottish batsmen before the game drifts dangerously towards a draw.
For Scotland, outright victory is desirable, too, as it would provide immediate passage to the final. But a draw, with first-innings lead points, would be a satisfactory outcome for the Scots. To achieve either, they would need to bat as resolutely as the Afghans, probably occupying the crease for five sessions in their first innings.
All of which points to an intriguing battle of wills on the second day of the match, being played on a characteristically flat Cambusdoon pitch, with little in it for the seamers, and something in prospect for the spinners on the final day.
On the first day, the Scottish bowlers did not find 'the right areas' - particularly so Dewald Nel, performing on Scottish soil for the first time since departing for Kent in May. He was too short, and easily despatched to the boundary as skipper Gordon Drummond deployed three slips and a gully.
With no sign of a breakthrough thus far, the 15th over brought a suicidal wicket as Noor Ali Zadran went haltingly for a fourth run on an overthrow. But Moneeb Iqbal, running round from square leg to mid-wicket, picked up and threw to Simon Smith for a splendid run out, with the score on 67.
Another 88 runs went on the board before the second wicket, Mohammad Shahzad edging to the diving Smith for the first of two wickets from Matthew Parker, now bowling from the pavilion end. Eleven runs later, the same combination accounted for Karim Sadiq, and suddenly Afghanistan were deprived of two batters with half-centuries.
But the Scots failed to press home this opportunity, and, indeed, were sloppy in the field, with two or three catching opportunities going amiss, along with an easy stumping. Iqbal induced a false shot from Nawroz Mangal, caught by Ryan Flanningan (making his First-Class debut), and Mohammed Nabi was trapped in front by Drummond. But the not-out pair of Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari both scored half-centuries, and lived to lead the second day's continuing onslaught on the Scottish bowling.
Admittedly, Afghanistan's run-rate was less than four an over. But as a platform, the visitors are in pole position. From here, they can only blame themselves if they lose the game. For the Scots, here is not where they would have liked to be when Drummond decided to bowl first.
Day 1 scoreboard summary: Afghanistan (first innings) 349-5 (96 overs, A Stanikzai 88*, S Shenwari 50*, M Parker 2-72)
Pictures - [Day 1]
- You can follow the game with Cricket Scotland, providing live streamed video on the Cricket Scotland TV player on the home page of this website... there were more than 2,000 views on Day 1!
