Scotland were beaten by 109-runs in their opening Women’s T20 Commonwealth Games qualifier in Malaysia on Tuesday.
Mark Coles charges were taking on Sri Lanka at the Kinrara Oval, Kuala Lumpur, and the opponents batted first.
The Head Coach said after 182-4 played 73 all out: “We didn’t bowl that well, we were bowling two sides of the wicket and we dropped their best player a couple of times which was disappointing, but there were some positives with the ball and we fought back.
“It looked like they might get over 200 plus at one stage, but we dragged that back and then I though we started very well with the bat, getting off to a quick start and going at 10s in the early overs should have allowed us to build from there.
“There are a few things to tidy up with the ball moving forward, learning to bowl in the right areas and understanding the pitches we are bowling on.
“We have a big day coming up on Wednesday against Malaysia and I really want to see some improvements – if we can tidy things up then we can move forward in a positive mindset and with a positive approach.”
They got off to a solid start before Scotland took their first wicket of the tournament through teenager Katherine Fraser who had Vishmi Rajapaksha trapped LBW for eight in the fifth over.
That was 34-1, but then the Sri Lankans put on a 90-run second wicket partnership in less than 10 overs with skipper Chamari Athapaththu the driving force being supported by number three Hasini Perera.
By the time Athapaththu was out to Abtaha Maqsood thanks to a stumping by wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, the opener had plundered an amazing 86 off just 45 balls, an innings that included 13 fours and two sixes.
She returned to the pavilion in the 14th over and her counter attack had given her team a great platform.
Perera was then run out the very next ball for 17 to give Scotland a glimmer of hope that they could get into the middle and lower order of their opponents in the last five overs or so.
Katie McGill did take the wicket of Harshitha Madiva LBW in the penultimate over of the first half, but she had hit a quickfire 23 and Nilakshi Silva ended up on 23 not out in a total of 182-4.
Fraser took 1-27 from her four overs while opening bowler Rachel Slater made her competitive Scotland debut.
In reply, Sarah Bryce got off to a very quick start, hitting a six and a four in the third over before bowler Udesheki Prabodhani got her revenge. The batter was caught by Silva for 11 trying to drive on the off side.
Opener Ellen Watson and Captain Kathryn Bryce then put on 27 runs in good time before the latter was bowled for nine by Sashini Nisansala in the sixth over.
That was 47-2 before Scotland then lost both McGill (run out for six) and Watson (retired hurt 30 off 26 balls) in the eight over to leave them three – but effectively four – wickets down.
Former skipper Abbi Aitken-Drummond and Ailsa Lister were next out in the 10th over, both falling to Ama Kanchana, and at the halfway point of the run chase the Scots were 67-5 needing another 116 runs to win.
Slater, Hannah Rainey and Fraser then fell in the next 2.1 overs and, with Watson not able to return and Lorna Jack unable to bat, Scotland were 73 all out.
Next up for the Scots is the hosts on Wednesday (1.15pm local time, 5.15am UK time).
Malaysia lost their opener to Bangladesh on Tuesday by eight wickets, 49-9 playing 53-2.
