Oman have won the second 50-over game by 93 runs to level the three-match series with a game left to play.
Winning the toss and electing to field, Scotland made two changes to the side that yesterday bowled Oman for 24 runs – replacing Michael Leask and Adrian Neill with Hamza Tahir and Safyaan Sharif.
Oman’s batsman, in fighting spirit after being dismissed for just 24 yesterday, built key partnerships throughout their innings to reach 248/8 from their 50 overs.
Jatinder Singh (30) and TK Bhandari (15) set up their side’s innings with an opening partnership of 32 runs before the first wicket fell – Evans removing Bhandari after 4.5 overs.
The dismissal of Oman’s No.2 brought Khawar Ali (44) to the crease, and he enjoyed a 38-run stand with Singh before the latter fell after being run out by Tahir/Watt.
Oman’s batsman continued to build solid partnerships, with Ali and Nadeem at the crease for 65 runs before Scotland’s Sharif took two wickets in an over – dismissing Ali and Goud (0) to pull the hosts back to 135/4 after 32.6 overs.
Berrington, who has hit a run of form of late with bat and ball, dismissed Michal (LBW 13) before Oman built their highest partnership of the innings – Mohammed Nadeem (64) and Khurram Nawaz (64) combining to put on a 66-run stand before Watt claimed the wicket of Nadeem to leave the hosts 219-6 after 47.2 overs.
Some power hitting at the end of the innings from Nadeem – supported by Badal Singh (3*) – took the men in red to 248/8 from their 50 overs.
In chase of 249 to win and 2-0 in the series, Scotland struggled to 11/2 after 4.6 overs, losing both openers (Cross 3, Coetzer 8) in consecutive overs without adding a run to the board.
Two new batsman in Calum MacLeod (14) and Richie Berrington (37) strolled to the crease and put on a 32-run stand, before MacLeod was bowled for Badal Singh for 14.
George Munsey (34) and Berrington put on 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the latter fell to Singh, bringing Wallace (4) out to the middle. Wallace’s stay at the crease was short, being dismissed for a 4-ball duck to leave Scotland’s run chase wobbling at 99/5 after 25.5 overs.
Scotland could only manage a further 56 runs before being dismissed for 155 after 40 overs. Mark Watt provided some resistance with a quick-fire 36 off 33 – but Mohammad Nadeem soon cleaned up the tail, bowling Watt, Evans (10) and Tahir (0) in six deliveries for just the one run.
The sides meet again on Friday (05:30 GMT) for the series decider.
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