Scotland Women booked their place at next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier following a dominant 59-run victory over the Netherlands.
The Netherlands had been the only side to get the better of the Saltires so far in this tournament, but Scotland exacted revenge in style to move one step closer to a World Cup appearance.
After posting 122-7, in large part thanks to a terrific 49 from Sarah Bryce, Craig Wallace’s side restricted the Dutch to just 63, Darcey Carter the standout bowler with figures of 3-11.
Scotland’s innings began quietly as Iris Zwilling opened with a maiden to Kathryn Bryce, but Darcey Carter soon swung into action.
She opened the fourth over by launching Robin Rijke back over her head for a huge, straight, six; but, just two balls later, Carter was on her way, chipping a simple return catch straight back to Rijke.
Katheryn Bryce would depart in the following over, top edging an attempted pull to Merel Dekelling off the bowling of Iris Zwilling.
Priyanaz Chatterji and Sarah Bryce then steadied the ship, rotating the strike well whilst Bryce also found the boundary with some regularity.
The pair had advanced the total to 69 in the 12th over when Chatterji charged at Hannah Landheer, failing to connect as the ball cannoned into her leg stump.
The Saltires struggled to find another substantial partnership from that moment on, the key wicket being that of Sarah Bryce who, after looking to up the rate, was removed for 49 by Eva Lynch to leave Scotland 100-6.
Ellen Watson lost her wicket to Caroline de Lange for eight in the penultimate over, leaving Chloe Abel and Megan McColl to scramble 12 runs from the final eight deliveries to take their side up to 122-7.
The dangerous Heather Siegers got the Netherlands’ reply off to a flier, striking Kathryn Bryce’s third ball high over mid-wicket for six, and taking 11 from the opening over.
Siegers raced to 23 from 11 balls as she took her side to 32-0 in the fourth over, before Priyanaz Chatterji made the critical breakthrough as Siegers top edged behind to Sarah Bryce.
Chatterji struck again three balls later with a superb yorker proving to be too good for Iris Zwilling who departed for seven.
With both openers dismissed, the Dutch struggled to recover, losing wickets at regular intervals as Scotland turned the screws.
Sharp work from Darcey Carter at mid on ran out Robin Rijke with a direct hit, before Sarah Bryce flashed her outstanding glovework to stump Babette De Leede and Phebe Molkenboer from the bowling of Abtaha Maqsood and Darcey Carter.
After a brief period of stabilisation from Eva Lynch and Carlijn Van Koolwijk, three wickets in five balls put the Saltires on the brink of qualification.
Darcey Carter removed both set batters in the space of four balls, before the first ball of the following over saw Kathryn Bryce swoop at cover to run out Hannah Landheer.
The Netherlands had slumped from 32-0 to 44-8, losing eight wickets for 12 runs in 40 balls.
Merel Dekeling and Caroline de Lange looked to restore some respectability to the total, and guided their side to 59 before Chloe Abel had de Lange caught at the wicket be Bryce.
And the final blow would be struck by Megan McColl in the following over, deceiving Isabel van der Woning in the flight, l\the Dutch batter leaving her ground for a second to enable Sarah Bryce to snare her fifth victim.
The Netherlands had slumped to 63 all out as Scotland triumphed by 59 runs, to secure their spot at next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup global qualifier.
