Haq in the wickets as Scots down Dutch

Cricket365
June 28, 2011

Majid Haq stole the show as Scotland beat the Netherlands by 15 runs in Tuesday's first ODI at the Mannofield Park in Aberdeen.

Chasing a tough 256-run target, the Dutch slumped to 240 all out as off-spinner Haq bagged figures of four for 33 and enjoyed good support from seamers Josh Davey (three for 27) and Gordon Drummond (two for 40).

The visitors' pursuit was sitting pretty at 157 for three inside 34 overs thanks to Neil Kruger's 34 and Alexei Kervezee's 49 toward the top of the knock.

Haq's burst through the middle overs, though, turned the contest on its head, with Kervezee, Michael Swart (13) and Tom de Grooth (duck) all falling to the right-armer's trickery.

Tom Cooper held firm for his 75 and enjoyed helpful support from Mudassar Bukhari's quickfire 41 down the order. Little support from the lower order, however, left Cooper's determination in vain and Davey and Haq to wrap up the tail.

Earlier a half-century from Kyle Coetzer and a string of 30s from Scotland's middle order steered them to a formidable total of 255 for seven.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss proved a fruitful enough decision from home captain Drummond, who watched from the pavilion as Coetzer and Fraser Watts added 86 runs for the first wicket inside 18 overs.

Watts' departure to Peter Borren for 33 left Calum MacLeod to pick up the charge alongside Coetzer, with the duo enjoying a 56-run alliance for the second wicket.

A mini collapse of sorts, which saw Coetzer (64), MacLeod (35), Davey (six) and Kyle McCallum (six), fall in the space of 38 runs, meant Preston Mommsen, Richie Berrington and Drummond had to dig deep in order for the solid foundation not to be wasted.

The trio obliged. Mommsen formed the backbone of the rearguard action with a steady 34, while Berrington and Drummond wielded the willow for 29 from 25 balls and 20 not out off nine deliveries respectively.

From the promise of 142 for one to a worrying 180 for five, the Scots managed to recover to a total the Dutch, minus the services of star all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate, were ultimately unable to trump on a fair pitch.

Tom Heggelman was the pick of the Holland bowlers with figures of three for 27. Fellow seamer Borren bagged three for 52.

The teams meet again for the second and final match of the series on Wednesday.