Scotland take the honours

5 April 2008

Fraser Watts put Scotland in a strong position on day two

Scotland moved into a position of strength in their ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia after taking day two honours in Windhoek.

Scotland led by 25 runs after the teams exchanged low-scoring first innings, and although most of the Scottish batsmen failed again, two key contributions allowed coach Peter Steindl's team to make 211 second time around, stretching their lead to 236.

Namibia then crumbled to 44 for three by the close, leaving them in a critical state and staring at likely defeat on Sunday.

Scotland lost opener Dougie Lockhart without scoring, but Fraser Watts and Qasim Sheikh then put on 111 for the second wicket in a match-turning partnership.

Watts departed for 54, and Sheikh went on to make 63 before departing midway through a Scottish collapse.

Kola Burger took six wickets for Namibia, including those of Lockhart, Watts and Gavin Hamilton and John Blain, the pair who gave the Scots batting line-up a backbone in the first innings.

Former Yorkshire bowler Blain took five Namibia wickets in their first innings and claimed three victims in next to no time before the close of play on day two.

He snared Raymond van Schoor (two), Jan-Berrie Burger (three) and Gerrie Snyman (nought) to leave Namibia in dire trouble on 16 for three, before they recovered to add a further 28 runs without loss by the close.