SCOTLAND finally found their batting touch yesterday but it wasn't enough to secure their second Friends Provident Trophy win of the season in front of a shivering Bank Holiday crowd at Headingley.
Having posted a creditable 244, the Scots may have gone to lunch harbouring hopes of carving out a first-ever triumph against Yorkshire.
However, led by former England Test player Anthony McGrath, the county took advantage of a flat wicket and an
injury to John Blain to cruise to the win they needed to maintain their hopes of progressing from the tournament's Northern Group.
The Saltires were boosted by the capture of two early wickets, Dewald Nel having Craig White caught by Calum MacLeod and Adam Gale trapped in front.
However, Gale had already claimed the initiative by hitting 33 at a run-a-ball including a slogged six off the ailing Blain. The talismanic bowler was forced off the field holding his shoulder after completing just three overs – a cruel blow to visiting hopes.
Meanwhile McGrath, joined by former South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph, outgunned Gale on his way to a brilliant century. Such was the ferocity of his onslaught that even mishit shots were racing to the boundary.
McGrath brought up his half-century from only 48 balls and went on to complete three figures with the 14th boundary of a punishing knock.
Rudolph, too, laid into some increasingly ragged bowling and the sight of the little left-hander effortlessly stroking two consecutive boundaries off Majid Haq and then clipping Gordon Goudie over the square leg rope confirmed that this would not be Scotland's day.
Goudie had his revenge when Rudolph skied a catch to Nel for a 96-ball 82 but McGrath went on to club the winning runs, finishing on 105, as Yorkshire completed a seven-wicket win with more than nine overs to spare. Earlier Ryan Watson, Gavin Hamilton, Colin Smith and Fraser Watts all recorded their highest scores in the competition this season. Watson and Hamilton set the tone in an opening stand of 90 during which neither player appeared in any difficulty against the county pace attack.
Hamilton played with calm authority, first accumulating in singles and then opening out with some more expansive shots. Still a popular figure at Headingley, the former Yorkshire player drew warm applause for one beautifully timed drive through extra cover off the bowling of Richard Pyrah.
Watson moved swiftly to his first half-century of the campaign. However, having hoisted Darren Gough back over his head for a straight four, the Forfarshire batsman found himself comprehensively bowled by Gough's next delivery. The Scotland captain faced 64 balls for his 54, striking nine boundaries. With Watson gone, the onus fell on Hamilton to play the lead role but no runs had been added when the left-hander miscued an attempted sweep off leg-spinner Adil Rashid and was caught at square leg. The Scots suffered a third blow when Australian Ed Cowan's disappointing run continued.
Cowan, who has yet to hit a half-century during his tenure as overseas professional, had reached 19 when he danced down the track to Rashid, was deceived in the flight, and paid the price. But a second substantial partnership put the Scottish innings back on course with Smith and Watts adding 56 for the fourth wicket.
Watts moved to 34 with one glorious straight six off McGrath, only to be trapped in front by his next delivery. Smith, though, went on to frustrate the home bowlers with one of his most impressive knocks against a county outfit. Not all of the Aberdeenshire player's shots were from the textbook but Smith showed a pleasing desire to dominate the bowlers as he did in hoisting McGrath's full toss high over the mid-wicket boundary. Another attempted clearance brought his downfall, caught on the boundary, but by then Smith had contributed 60 from 70 balls with four boundaries in addition to the six. His departure saw the Scots lose five wickets in the final five overs while adding just 29 runs.
Coach Pete Steindl admitted Blain is a major doubt for tomorrow's concluding match against Derbyshire. The coach said: "John has damaged his tricep and is in some pain. We'll assess him tomorrow but he is looking doubtful at this stage. We are also uncertain about Calum MacLeod's availability and I'll be talking to Keith Pyper at Warwickshire to see if we can have him for Derbyshire."
Steindl added: "Our guys were bowling against two top class batsmen on a really good wicket and it was tough, especially after losing Blainy. But I was delighted with our batting – we put together two partnerships and showed that we have been learning."
STORY SO FARAFTER winning the winter Test series 2-1 in New Zealand, England began the home series against them by drawing the rain-affected first Test at Lord's.
Things looked bleak in the second Test at Old Trafford when the Kiwis carved out a 179-run lead on first innings. But Monty Panesar starred as New Zealand were shot out for 114 and England's top order completed a record Manchester run chase of 293 for victory.
The full article contains 871 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
