Scotland take thriller

Mna-of-the-match Paul Hoffman

Scotland completed their third victory at the ICC World Cricket League on Friday with a thrilling two-run win over the Netherlands with one ball to spare at Jaffery Sports Club.

No play was possible in the morning due to overnight rain so the match was reduced to 37 overs per side, with the teams taking early lunch as the pitch continued to dry out.

When the action eventually got underway, the Netherlands won the toss and, unsurprisingly, asked the Scots to bat.

Fraser Watts made 58 and Colin Smith 26 not out as Peter Drinnen's side managed 207 for eight.

Darron Reekers got the Dutch off to a flying start with a quickfire 37, but they stuttered after his exit and in the end were all out for 205 from 36.5 overs.

Peter Borren came into the Dutch line-up in place of Abdool Raja, while Scotland stuck with the same team that beat Canada on Wednesday.

Majid Haq was the first man out, caught by Borren at point off the bowling of Reekers after scoring 19.

Ryan Watson added 25 to the total before clipping a Stelling delivery to Ryan ten Doeschate at mid-wicket.

Ten Doeschate then got in on the action himself, taking two wickets in two balls for the third time during this competition.

First, he had Gavin Hamilton snapped up by Luuk van Troost and then saw Neil McCallum - a centurion in Tuesday's win over Ireland - immediately caught behind by Jeroen Smits.

Ten Doeschate was again involved when Watts departed, taking the catch at mid-wicket. The opener did complete his half-century first, however, going on to make 58 from 68 balls before becoming Stelling's second victim.

Tim de Leede continued to take the attack to the Scots, and was rewarded with the wicket of Dougie Brown - bowled for 18 to leave the Scots 149 for six.

Captain Craig Wright then came to the crease and made 17 before smashing a Borren delivery to Bas Zuiderent at long on.

Borren then also accounted for Paul Hoffmann, who faced just two balls and failed to trouble the scorers.

John Blain joined Smith in the middle and the pair took Scotland onto 207 for eight, finishing unbeaten on 15 and 26 respectively.

The Dutch opening pair started their pursuit of 208 like men on a mission, Reekers in particularly good touch.

They put on 50 for the first wicket before Zuiderent was caught at short leg by Ryan Watson for eight, Hoffmann the bowler.

Reekers soon followed his opening partner back to the pavilion, playing on to a Wright delivery after making 37 from just 20 balls.

The run-rate slowed down considerably after Reekers' dismissal, with Van Troost's attempts to speed it up in the 14th over resulting in his downfall - caught by Blain at mid-off off Wright for 13.

Hamilton left the field a few minutes later clutching his wrist, but the Scots' momentum continued. Daan van Bunge was the next to fall, his attempted pull going to McCallum at backward short leg.

Scotland picked up the prize wicket of ten Doeschate in the 19th over, the Essex man caught by Haq at third man off the bowling of Blain for 25.

That brought Alexei Kervezee out to the middle, but he lasted only three balls before snicking a Blain delivery to wicket-keeper Smith for one.

De Leede hit two boundaries and a six to make 26 from 24 balls, but then misjudged one from Haq and was stumped by Smith.

Billy Stelling and Borren put on 77 for the eighth wicket, but three wickets in three balls in the final over saw the Dutch fall just short of their target.

Man-of-the-match Hoffmann had Stelling caught at mid-off by Blain for 45, Borren was run out for 30 and Edgar Schiferli was bowled for nought.

Saturday is a rest day for all teams, with the next round of matches on Sunday when the Scots take on the tournament's other unbeaten team Kenya and the Dutch face Bermuda.