Scotland threatened to rain on Bermuda’s parade on Friday as the visitors took a strong lead on day two of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match at Hamilton .
Having been dismissed for 282 in the first dig thanks chiefly to a six-wicket haul
by veteran left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock, Scotland looked like a side under pressure. But four wickets from Dewald Nel and three from Sean Weeraratna skittled Bermuda for just 106, securing the first-innings points for Scotland by a handsome margin.Only opening batsman Chris Foggo (53) put up any sort of resistance for the home support as his team-mates’ wickets tumbled around him. Jekon Edness (23) was the only other batsman to make double figures.
When the Scots went back into bat they built on their first-innings lead to finish day two on 83-3, some 259 runs ahead. Mind you, they did not have it all their own way and were 22-3 at one stage with George O’Brien claiming the early wickets of Dougie Lockhart, Qasim Sheikh and Ritchie Berrington.
But Fraser Watts (43 not out), who scored 93 in the first innings, and wicketkeeper-batsman Colin Smith (26 not out), steadied the ship and have ensured that Scotland go into the weekend in a very strong position.
Bermuda will know that it will have to take wickets early and often if it is to have any chance to winning this game in front of its passionate home supporters.
ICC Intercontinental Cup (Day Two)
At: Hamilton , Bermuda
Umpires: Shahul Hameed, Roger Dill
SCOTLAND (first innings contd, 240-7 overnight)
Majid Haq b Leverock 46
G Goudie c Pitcher b Kelly 7
D Nel c Romaine b Leverock 22
R Lyons not out 12
Extras (1lb 2b 4nb) 17
TOTAL (109 overs) 282
Fall: 1-42, 2-66, 3-114, 4-141, 5-182, 6-208, 7-237, 8-242, 9-262,
Bowling: O'Brien 16.3-6-35-1, Kelly 20-5-52-1, Leverock 44-10-120-6, Pitcher 3-1-6-0, Trott 20-4-56-2, Romaine 0.3-0-1-0, Outerbridge 5-2-9-0
BERMUDA (first innings)
C Foggo b Haq 53
O Bascome c Lyons b Weeraratna 6
J Celestine b Weeraratna 0
S Outerbridge c Smith b Weeraratna 4
OJ Pitcher c Weeraratna b Lyons 4
I Romaine c Watts b Lyons 0
J Edness ct Lockhart b Nel 23
R Trott c Smith b Nel 2
D Leverock c McCallum b Nel 5
S Kelly not out 0
G O'Brien c Sheikh b Nel 2
Extras (1lb, 6nb) 7
TOTAL (53.2 overs) 106
Fall: 1-43, 2-48, 3-63, 4-67, 5-72, 6-73, 7-94, 8-103, 9-104
Bowling: Nel 12.2-4-27-4, Goudie 9-4-16-0, Majid Haq 20-7-33-1, Weeraratna 5-1-14-3, Lyons 7-1-15-2
SCOTLAND (second innings)
F Watts not out 43
D Lockhart lbw O'Brien 1
Qasim Sheikh b O'Brien 9
R Berrington c Edness b O'Brien 0
C Smith not out 26
Extras (1w, 2lb, 1nb) 4
TOTAL 83
Fall: 1-1, 2-22, 3-22,
To bat: N McCallum, M Haq, S Weeraratna, G Goudie, D Nel, R Lyons
Bowling: O'Brien 10-2-31-3, Kelly 7-1-19-0, Leverock 7-1-23-0, Trott 1-0-8-0
The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.
Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada in the 2006-07 event.
The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
ICC MEDIA RELEASE