Scotland crush West Indies’ World Cup hopes
Scotland 185 for 3 (Cross 74*, McMullen 69) beat West Indies 181 (Holder 45, McMullen 3-32, Watt 2-25) by seven wickets
Five years in the past in Harare, West Indies had been the beneficiaries of a controversial umpiring choice and a well timed rain interruption that secured their place within the 2019 ODI World Cup, at Scotland’s expense. There was no such luck for the two-time champions in 2023, as West Indies crashed out of the operating to qualify for the World Cup in India by struggling a seven-wicket loss to Scotland in Harare.
Thus the thirteenth version of the ODI World Cup would be the first with out the West Indies, who gained the primary two tournaments in 1975 and 1979, and likewise made the ultimate in 1983.
Chris Sole went bouncer after which size to ship Kyle Mayers’ off stump cartwheeling. Shai Hope’s try to mood aggression with warning was ended by Safyaan Sharif, who dialled again the clock to their face-off in the 2018 Qualifier by opening up and nicking off Hope. McMullen bowled 9 overs on the trot and ended with match-winning figures of three for 32.
Romario Shepherd joined Holder to placed on 77 runs for the seventh wicket, however when Shepherd tried to boost the tempo within the thirty seventh over, he was caught by a flying Sharif at level. Three balls later, Chris Greaves trapped Holder lbw and West Indies had been ultimately all out for 181 within the forty fourth over.
Scotland misplaced McBride within the first over of the chase however that wicket united McMullen with Matthew Cross and the pair rigorously negotiated the new-ball risk. In the twelfth over, Akeal Hosein lured McMullen right into a slog sweep however Mayers dropped the prospect at deep midwicket.
McMullen flat-batting a hard-length ball from Alzarri Joseph for a six down the bottom within the seventeenth over indicated that he was in command of the chase. Both batters predominantly labored the ball round, rotated strike and racked up fifties throughout their 125-run stand. When McMullen discovered long-on off Joseph, Scotland didn’t panic as Cross was there to proceed guiding the chase, first with George Munsey after which with Berrington, to finish victory within the forty fourth over.