Scotland break their CB40 duck

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Scotland are up and running in the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 after a narrow 12-run win over Northamptonshire in Edinburgh.

Scotland are up and running in the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 after a narrow 12-run win over Northamptonshire in Edinburgh.

After losing their first seven games in the CB40, the hosts finally tasted victory at the Grange Cricket Club Ground on Sunday on the back of a hundred from Kyle Coetzer. The opener was the mainstay of the Scotland innings as he smashed 122 to help them to 223 for seven in a game reduced to 36 overs following rain.

Calum MacLeod scored a solid 33 from 45 balls while Preston Mommson contributed 32 from just 21 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Fast bowler David Willey accounted for both their dismissals.

Coetzer though wasn't put off by the regular loss of partners and he powered to a 98-ball century before losing his wicket to Willey off the penultimate ball of the innings. The right-handed opener's innings of 122 came off 109 balls with 14 fours and two sixes while Willey finished with figures of three for 49.

The Steelbacks stuttered to 59 for three in response as they lost openers Stephen Peters, Ben Howgego and Alex Wakely inside the first 14 overs, before Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien and Rob White put them back on course with a 102-run fourth wicket partnership.

White contributed 40 from 48 balls before he was stumped off Majid Haq but O'Brien pushed on to give Northants a glimmer of hope. Bilal Shafayat (11 from seven balls) and James Middlebrook (22 from 12 balls) entertained the crowd, but the game was up when O'Brien was run out for 81 from 75 balls.

The visitors eventually fell short by 12 runs after they could only manage 211 for six in their 36 overs.

Despite the loss, the Steelbacks are sitting pretty in second place in Group B with 10 points while Scotland remain bottom of the table with only two points.

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