Scotland’s sensationally defeated the West Indies in their opening Group B match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia on Monday.
Last year in the 2021 version of the showpiece event in Oman and the UAE, things began with a victory over Bangladesh and, 12 months on, the Scots put in an even more polished performance to win by 42 runs as 160-5 played 118.
Two sides from this group which also includes Ireland and Zimbabwe will progress through to the second phase which begins on Saturday.
At the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, this result was built on an excellent 66 not out by George Munsey and then 3-12 by Mark Watt and 2-15 from fellow spinner Michael Leask.
The fielding and catching was also excellent in general and this was a famous – and deserved – win for Shane Burger’s men.
Captain Richie Berrington said: “It’s a special win for us.
“A lot of hard work has gone in over the last 12 months to get us to this point and we took a lot of belief from some of our performances last year at the previous T20 World Cup.
“I’m extremely proud of the boys for going out there and showing off our skills.
“We’ve not had as much T20 cricket as we would have liked in the last year, but we’ve had a lot of 50-over cricket. It was really important to transfer those skills over to T20 as quickly as possible – and I’m extremely delighted we were able to do that.
“At one point we were maybe looking for more than 160 runs after the start we got off to. George and Michael Jones were excellent up front, giving us that platform.
“We had a few cameos towards the end and I thought our bowlers were excellent in the second innings.
“They’ve done it for us for a long time now at key moments. Mark Watt has been exceptional, he always picks up wickets for us. And Michael Leask was excellent too bowling his four overs on the trot.
“The boys put in a great shift. It was an all-round team performance.”
Batting first, Scotland got off to a very good start thanks to openers Munsey and Jones.
There was a brief rain delay after they got going, but once the innings resumed things were ticking along nicely.
Jones had made his way to 20 before being bowled by Jason Holder in the seventh over and when vice-captain Matthew Cross fell to the same bowler – caught by Shamarh Brooks – for three it was 63-2 in the ninth over.
Berrington then made 16 before he was caught by Kyle Mayers off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph in the 12th over before Calum MacLeod played a nice innings.
He made 23 off 14 balls including four 4s and when he was out in the 16th over – caught by Brandon King off Odean Smith – the team were up to 117-4.
Munsey was carrying along on his merry way and although Leask was bowled by Joseph for four, the opener and Chris Greaves put on an unbeaten 35 for the sixth wicket in just three and a half overs.
Along with Munsey’s half century which included nine 4s, Greaves finished on 16 not out from 11 balls as they reached 160-5.
The Scottish bowlers were on the money from ball one in the second half and did not let the West Indies batters settle.
In the third over Mayers went for 20 when he was caught by Munsey off the bowling of Josh Davey.
And when Evan Lewis went for 14 in the sixth over – caught by Jones off Brad Wheal – the West Indies were 53-2.
They were scoring at a good rate, but Watt and Leask helped slow things down and everyone continued to stick to their tasks.
King was bowled by Watt for 17 and then skipper Nicholas Pooran went for five when Leask took his scalp.
That was 62-4 in the ninth over and when Leask accounted for Rovman Powell – thanks to a MacLeod catch – and then Wheal got Brooks, the opponents were 77-6 with just eight overs remaining.
Holder made 38 as he tried in vain to haul his team up past 160, but fittingly he was the last man out in the 19thover when Greaves took a great catch off the bowling of Safyaan Sharif.
Before that Akeal Hosein was run out for one, wicketkeeper Cross caught Joseph behind off the bowling of Mark Watt for a first baller and Smith also fell to the same bowler for five.
The West Indies were 118 all out with nine balls of the innings not used and Watt and Leask’s figures were backed up well by 2-32 from Wheal, 1-23 from Sharif and 1-34 from Davey.
Munsey was named player of the match.
So, what is next for Scotland? Well, they take on Ireland at the same venue on Wednesday at 5am UK time.
