Scotland suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, as their full member opponents recorded a dominant 10-wicket victory.
After being inserted, the Scots struggled to establish any partnerships of note, with only Lorna Jack (24) and Kathryn Bryce (22) passing 20, as their side were bowled out for 94 by an impressive Sri Lankan attack.
Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu made light work of that target, striking an unbeaten 59 off 35 balls to guide her side to their target inside 11 overs, ably assisted by fellow opener Vishmi Gunaratne, who made 26 of their unbroken 95 run stand.
Reflecting on the defeat, Head Coach Craig Wallace said: “It’s obviously disappointing, but we came up against a really good team in conditions to which they were suited, and they played really well.
“They were definitely the better team on the day, with the bat we struggled to get that partnership, there were a couple of times where we lost wickets in clusters which we know is hard to fight back from, but we’ll look to improve and go again on Monday.”
Scotland’s innings suffered an early setback on just the third ball of the innings, when Darcey Carter picked out Kavisha Dilhari in the covers off the bowling of Inoshi Priyadharshani to depart without score.
Kathryn Bryce, in at number three, was quickly into her stride, striking Udeshika Prabodhani for two fours through point in the second over.
After taking Sugandika Kumari for two more boundaries through the offside, Kathryn Bryce would depart in unfortunate fashion, bowled off her leg as she attempted to pull a short delivery that kept low from the Sri Lankan spinner.
Saskia Horley would fall in the following over, Achini Kulasuriya taking a superb return catch low down, to leave Scotland in trouble at 32-3.
Sarah Bryce and Ailsa Lister set about rebuilding the innings, and added 19 relatively risk-free runs, before the former came unstuck as she was caught at the wicket off Priyadharshani.
Scotland were in further difficulty just two deliveries later as Priyanaz Chatterji edged Priyadharshani to Hasini Perera at slip, to leave Sri Lanka well on top with the Scots 51-5.
Ailsa Lister would be the next to depart after reaching 13, picking out Chamari Athapaththu at mid-off as she looked to take Kavisha Dilhari over the top.
Katherine Fraser and Lorna Jack added a vital partnership of 23 for the seventh wicket, but with Fraser looking to up the tempo, she was bowled slog sweeping Dilhari for nine in the 17th over.
Dilhari would have her third victim the following delivery, Rachel Slater chipping back a simple caught and bowled, as Scotland fell to 84-8.
Running out of partners, Lorna Jack looked to move on the offensive and took Kumari for back-to-back boundaries, hammering the first through mid-off before sweeping fine.
However, she would be the ninth Scottish wicket to fall, Dilhari taking the catch at cover off Kumari.
The final wicket would fall in the penultimate over, Chloe Abel holing out to Athapaththu from Dilhari, who finished with a superb 4-13.
In reply, Sri Lanka survived a couple of half-shouts for LBW from Kathryn Bryce, before Athapaththu was quickly into her work, driving the Scotland skipper through the covers for four.
Athapaththu took Kathryn Bryce for two more fours in her next over, before then getting hold of a delivery from Chatterji, and hoisting it high over mid-wicket for six.
There was not let up from the Sri Lankan captain, as back-to-back boundaries through point off Horley took her to 41 from just 22 deliveries.
Athapaththu would reach her half-century off 31 deliveries with a push through the legside for two, as Sri Lanka closed in on victory.
It would be Vishmi Gunaratne who struck the winning runs from the first ball of the 11th over, as the Lions moved top of Group A with a commanding victory.
Scotland will look to bounce back on Monday afternoon (12pm BST) when they face USA at Tolerance Oval.
