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Gayle saves
Windies from an embarrassing defeat against
Scotland |
July 12, 2007 (Link to
Scorecard)
 West
Indies almost lost their match against minnows
Scotland at Dublin but for their Skipper Chris
Gayle's sensible innings. Gayle pulled out West
Indies out of a tricky situation to ensure a
nervy four-wicket win with just the one ball to
spare. Scotland were always in for a chance as
the target for Windies was 165 from 180 balls
according to the Duckworth Lewis Method.
This match at the
Clontarf Cricket Club got off to a delayed start
because off rain and a wet outfield. Once it got
started with Scotland asked to bat first, there
were two more rain breaks which forced the
Scotland innings to be of 30 overs. Scotland
collected 152 on the board at the loss of 7
wickets with one drop batsman Navdeep Ponia top
scoring with 40 from 57 with 6 fours. Neil
McCallum and Captain Ryan Watson contributed
useful twenties. Fidel Edwards was the pick of
the bowlers with 2 for 17 in 7 overs which also
included two maidens.
Windies got off to a
great start from the ever steady Devon Smith and
their Captain Chris Gayle who was determined to
take his side home. The Scots got their
breakthrough only in the 20th over but then the
score was already 95 with Devon Smith
contributing 32 from 49 with 4 fours. It was
from the 24th over that Scotland could create
some interest in the game as off spinner Majid
Haq came up with four top wickets that got lot
of pressure on Gayle and the West Indies. Runako
Morton and Lendl Simmons were cleaned up by the
offie in consecutive balls that got him in a
hat-trick. The hat-trick was denied by Dwayne
Smith who sent Majid Haq out of the ground for a
six but the rush of blood saw him lose his
wicket to the same bowler. West Indies from a
position of strength at 95 for 1 were now 133
for 6 in 26.2 overs as they lost debutant Austin
Richards cheaply.
Chris Gayle was
fortunate to find a responsible and cool partner
in all rounder Darren Sammy. And both these
batsmen drove their team to victory in the final
over with Windies requiring nine to win. Chris
Gayle mixed caution with aggression in his
94-ball 85 which had 8 fours and three sixes.
Darren Sammy made 18 important runs in 13 balls.
Majid Haq had proud figures of 4 for 28 in 6
overs which was instrumental in providing a
cracker of a contest on a damp day.
Scotland 152 for 7 in
30.0 Overs (Navdeep Poonia 40 Neil McCallum 27
Ryan Watson 21, Fidel Edwards 2/17 Daren Powell
2/25) lost to West Indies 165 for 6 in 29.5
Overs (Chris Gayle 85* Devon Smith 32 Darren
Sammy 18*, Majid Haq 4/28) by four wickets
according to the D/L Method.
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