Scotland returned to winning ways with a comfortable 44-run win over the USA, to move onto four points in Group A of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
Put into bat by their opponents, for the third straight game, Scotland posted 149-6 with Kathryn Bryce (57*), Ailsa Lister (34) and Lorna Jack (20) all making vital contributions.
In reply, a burst of four wickets in 2.2 overs from Kathryn Bryce knocked over the USA’s top four, and set Scotland on their way to victory.
Katherine Fraser, who finished with 1-10 from her three overs, said: “It was really good, it was a pretty disciplined performance, Brycey (Kathryn Bryce) did a fantastic job in the first-half, and then the bowlers did our job; it wasn’t perfect, but we’ll take it.
“We knew Sri Lanka were a brilliant team, so we knew we just had to bounce back and play our game, and I thought we did a good job of that.”
It proved to be a difficult start for Scotland, as Megan McColl fell in the third over to Geetika Kodali, her attempted ramp over fine-leg taken comfortably behind the stumps by Sindhu Sriharsha.
Scotland would suffer a further blow in the next over as they were reduced to 17-2, Saskia Horley bowled by Isani Vaghela for eight.
Kathryn Bryce and Sarah Bryce added 21 for the third wicket, with the former beginning to find the boundary with regularity.
However, Sarah Bryce would fall to Aditiba Chudasama, slicing an attempted drive to Jivana Aras at short-third, who took a smart catch diving forward.
Ailsa Lister started positively as she looked to take on the USA attack, and found the boundary with a delightful lofted drive over cover.
Lister was handed a pair of lives in the space of three balls in the 10th over, twice being dropped on the boundary as she looked to take on Jessica Willathgamuwa, with both drops trickling over the rope for four.
The boundaries were beginning to flow more regularly for Scotland, with Kathryn Bryce showing deft touch as she twice scooped through a vacant fine-leg for four.
Lister would eventually fall, stumped by Sriharsa from Chudasma, as she departed for a brutal 34 from just 22, having taken Scotland, alongside Kathryn Bryce, from 38 to 104.
Lorna Jack joined Kathryn Bryce at the crease, and the pair continued to tick the scoring along, with Bryce reaching her half-century from 42 deliveries with a fine sweep for four.
Jack would depart for an important 20, stumped off the bowling of Saanvi, having advanced the score to 140-5.
Katherine Fraser (3) fell in the final over, before Priyanaz Chatterji (4*) struck a pair of twos as Scotland finished on 149-6, with Kathryn Bryce unbeaten on 57.
Scotland’s defence of that total got off to the perfect start as Kathryn Bryce, fresh off spending 17.5 overs in the middle, removed Gargi Bhogle who looped a simple chance to Lorna Jack at point.
Bryce then tore through the USA’s top order, bowling Disha Dhingra (0) and Anika Kolan (3), and trapping Sriharsha (0) in front as the chasing side slumped to 22-4 inside five overs.
Chudasama and Willathgumwa steadied the ship, adding 20 for the fifth wicket before Abtaha Maqsood struck with her second ball, tempting the latter down the wicket as she was stumped for 10.
Katherine Fraser got in on the act as she removed Chudasama for 20, the USA batter picking out Kathryn Bryce at long off.
Maqsood and Fraser then combined for the seventh wicket as Kodali departed for 3, caught by Fraser as Maqsood earned her 50th T20I wicket.
Isani Vaghela and Aras then built a frustrating partnership for the Scots, adding 39 for the eighth wicket, with Vaghela, who made 30, the aggressor.
Chloe Abel made the breakthrough to dismiss Vaghela, as she picked out Maqsood at mid-off when attempting to go over the top.
Aras and Suhani Thadani would negotiate the final two overs, the latter finishing unbeaten on 24 as the USA finished on 105-8.
Scotland are back in action on Friday when they face Thailand in their final game of the group stage.
