Abu Dhabi. Scotland got off to a winning start in the opening match of the Desert T20 tournament defeating Hong Kong by 24 runs at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium.
The architects of Scotland’s win were Calum MacLeod and Craig Wallace. They hit 60 runs each to ensure an impressive total of 189 for 3 in the 20 overs. MacLeod’s 60 came off 34 balls with three sixes and four boundaries before becoming young 21-year-old medium pacer Ehsan Nawaz’s victim.
Scotland skipper and opener Kyle Coetzer hit 31 runs before falling to Hong Kong off spinner Ehsan Khan. Coetzer after winning the toss and electing to bat first put on 61 runs for the opening wicket with George Munsey (22). MacLeod then went on to put on a 127 runs partnership for the third wicket with Wallace.
Wallace remained unbeaten on 60 off 39 balls with two boundaries and two sixes.
Chasing the big total, Hong Kong got off to a bad start. Their opener Aizaz Khan got run out for a duck. Skipper Babar Hayat lasted only ten balls to score 10 runs. Hayat top edged Safyaan Sharif to Josh Davey at mid-wicket.
In the sixth over, opener Nizakat Khan got caught at the fence top edging a cut shot off Davey for 22. Nine runs later next man Waqas Khan got trapped leg before by Mark Watt for 3. To make matters worse,
Anshuman Rath, who was settling down, got run out for 29. With half the team back in the pavilion for 91 runs in 13.1 overs, wicketkeeper Shahid Wasif hit a quick 40 off 25 balls. He got good support from Ehsan Khan, who remained unbeaten on 42 but could not guide his team to the target.
Brief scores:
Scotland bt Hong Kong by 24 runs. Scotland 189 for 3 in 20 overs (George Munsey 22, Kyle Coetzer 31, Calum MacLeod 60, Craig Wallace 60n.o, Ehsan Khan 2 for 26) Hong Kong 165 for 6 in 20 overs (Nizakat Khan 22, Anshuman Rath 29, Shahid Wasif 40, Ehsan Khan 42n.o).
