Cricket Classics - Part XXXIX : Scotland taking hard on England – 2018 ODI
Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,
Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress or leave us with unforgettable moments.
So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week. I am with another iconic match.
Well, from time to time, I shared some of the upsets in Cricket where associate teams stepped up. Funnily England team was on the receiving end quite a few times, especially in World Cups. Similar to the 2011 World Cup & 2022 T20I World Cup matches against Ireland, as well as the 2009 & 2014 T20I World Cup matches against the Netherlands. And here we go, with another one from 2018.
On 10 June 2018, England traveled to Scotland to play a One-Day International (ODI) at The Grange Club, Edinburgh. Well, the England team was the clear favorite, being the number one in the rankings. They had a strong squad, led by Eoin Morgan with experienced batsmen like Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, and a bowling attack of Wood, Plunket, Adil Rashid, etc. On the other hand, Scotland, an associate team, was seen as the underdog, led by Kyle Coetzer. They had very limited opportunities with the top-ranked teams. Anyhow, the game is unexpected. Isn't it?
England won the toss and elected to field. Matthew Cross and Kyle Coetzer got the perfect start for Scotland. They were banging in the power play with a steady flow of runs. They reached the hundred in 13 overs without any wickets, both reaching fifties. Anyway, in the next two overs, England's ballers managed to get rid of both.
After that, Calum MacLeod and Richie Berrington took the baton, scoring 93 runs for the third wicket in he next 15 overs. Scotland reached 200/3 in the first 30 overs. Particularly, Calum was so good, and his fearless strokeplay, timing, and confidence gave Scotland momentum. He scored,
- 140 off 94 balls*
- 16fours & 3 sixes
Calum scored his century in just 70 balls, which is the fastest century for Scotland in ODIs, and it's the maiden century against England in ODIs by a Scotland batsman. No English baller could walk away from his. He stayed until the end, and with the help of George Munsey and others, Scotland reached 371/5 in their 50 overs. It was their highest score in ODIs until last year, and still the highest against a full member team.
Even with a huge target, England had the talent and capability to chase it down. The destructive couple Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow started the proceedings, and it was good. They did what they are known for. A quick and destructive strat, especially from Johnny. Roy had some trouble with timing, but Johnny did it for both. For the first wicket, he scored 129 runs in just 12 overs.
Bairstow scored 105 runs off just 59 balls with 12 fours and 6 sixes. When he was there, England was right on the track, scoring 10+ runs per over. Anyway, after his wicket, the Scottish baller managed regular wickets, and even runs leaked. Hales scored a fifty, and Moen Ali and Plunket tried their best until the end.
England came until the end, but Scotland held their nerve. In the last 2 overs, England just needed 11 with two wickets remaining. But in the 49th over, Safyaan Sharif took those two. Scotland won by 6 runs.
This is one of the greatest associate-nation upsets in cricket history, and Scotland’s historic victory.
See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.
src - ESPNcricinfo
wikipedia
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