Ireland cruise to victory over Scotland

Skipper William Porterfield scores 50 to help set up Ireland's win in Aberdeen

Scotland crashed to a humiliating 96-run defeat in their first one-day international against Ireland in Aberdeen today.

The home side slumped to 109 all out inside 41 overs, despite restricting their opponents to 205 for nine after winning the toss and electing to field at the Citylets Mannofield.

Rain had spared Scotland defeat on the final day of the sides’ ICC Intercontinental Cup clash on Thursday.

But lightning did not strike twice as Ireland cemented their status as the leading non-Test playing nation by taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, the second game of which is played tomorrow.

Poor running cost Scotland dear today, with three players run out during their innings. Fraser Watts (three) was first to fall in the seventh over, edging an attempted pull of Alex Cusack straight up in the air for Kevin O’Brien to catch.

Scotland were finding runs hard to come by and were not helped six overs later when Navdeep Poonia was run out for four, with former captain Ryan Watson (12) following suit in the 21st over.

With almost half their innings gone, Scotland were 49 for three but skipper Gavin Hamilton and Neil McCallum looked to have settled until the latter (six) was caught at long-on off the bowling of Regan West.

Left-arm spinner West – who took a career-best 7-88 in the four-day match – then removed Hamilton (36) four balls later, the opener mistiming a full toss straight to mid-off.

Defeat was already looking inevitable and Marc Petrie’s run out for three in the 34th over was the first of three wickets in three overs.

Gordon Drummond (12) was caught and bowled off a leading edge by Andrew White, before Kyle McCallan trapped Majid Haq (two) lbw.

At 86 for eight, Gordon Goudie (12) and Ross Lyons (six) began to hit out, both stumped trying to slog White and West respectively.

Earlier, Scotland made a good start with the ball, reducing Ireland to 32 for two inside nine overs. Goudie removed Gary Wilson for five, before Dewald Nel – playing his first Scotland match since breaking his finger three months ago – snared Paul Stirling (two).

But Ireland skipper William Porterfield continued his fine form with the bat, he and Andre Botha guiding the visitors to 101 before the former (50) was run out in the 24th over.

Botha (33) fell to Haq two overs later, as did O’Brien (one) two overs after that. Trent Johnston and John Mooney (15) put on 36 for the sixth wicket, while White made 32 and Johnston 12.

But it was a ninth-wicket partnership of 36 between West (24) and Cusack (13) that took Ireland past 200.