Image Credit- ICC
Shall Scotland, maybe, reconsider sending them home? Everything will become clear in the thrilling final warm-up for Group B, but if England believed their crushing defeat in the 50-over World Cup last year was the height of humiliation, they may need to brace themselves for far more suffering, much closer to home.
That’s the result of an exciting run chase by Scotland against Oman in Antigua, which was sparked by George Munsey’s fierce 41 from 20 balls and finished with 41 balls remaining thanks to Brandon McMullen’s aggressive 61 from 31, whose triumphant cries reverberated throughout Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
It was Scotland’s second win after the crucial wash-out against England that determined the direction of each team’s campaign, and it has given them complete control over their own advancement. If England fails to cause a net run-rate swing of almost four points in their next two games against Oman and Namibia, then even a close defeat to Australia might prove to be sufficient.
With three straight losses, Oman’s ambitions are dashed, and England gets to choose the terms of their own advancement in a way that is fitting for the reigning world champions.
It was surprising that Oman, having won the toss, decided to bat first on a new pitch and island. Berrington was content to assess the situation and then pursue. However, with the help of a conscientious top-order score of 54 from 40 balls and a late burst of 41 from 39 from Ayaan, they managed to post what could have been a competitive 150 for 7, their highest total in three tournament attempts.
In the end, Scotland outscored Oman by 11 sixes to 4, but two in particular, off consecutive balls in their chase’s seventh over, put an end to any chance that this would be a tight race to the finish. Munsey’s exceptional mastery of the reverse-sweep was evident during the England wash-out, but Scotland really got going when he twice sent Aqib Ilyas hurtling onto the grass banks at the left-hander’s backward point.
Though they hadn’t exactly been slow on the powerplay, reaching 50 for 1 in six overs thanks to two sixes in Michael Jones’s 16 from 13, Oman had no way of stopping a free-flowing lineup after that.
The captain of Scotland, Richie Berrington, typified this strategy when he hit Aqib for a six and a four before being bowled out for 13 from 7 by two googlies in the same over. However, as Ayaan Khan’s lone over was launched for 20, Matt Cross joined an increasingly liberated McMullen to romp over the mark with consecutive sixes of his own, put over square leg.