Right! Thanks all for your company - it was worth it, eh? Well done Afghanistan, hard lines Scotland.
This World Cup is hotting up something fierce. Whatever they do, however they do it, it’s impossible to override the basic truism of life: sport is incredible.
There have been some amazing performances today. Haq and Evans for Scotland, then Ahamdi and Shenwari - he’s man of the match. But don’t forget Hamid, 12 not out and one wicket, and Shapoor, 12 not out and four wickets. Timed to perfection.
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What a game. What a game!
Shapoor races away and throws body to floor, face first, and the crowd are going nuts! Ahmadi is relieved! Dawlat is relieved! I worry for Shenwari!
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49.3 Afghanistan 211-9 (Hassan 15, Shapoor 12) AFGHANISTAN WIN BY ONE WICKET!
It’s on the pads, Shapoor flicks it away to square-leg, AND AFGHANISTAN WIN THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP GAME BY ONE WICKET WITH THREE BALL TO SPARE! WHAT A GAME!
49.2 Afghanistan 207-9 (Hassan 15, Shapoor 8) 4 needed
Shapoor goes for a single into the off-side, thinks better of it, Machan’s shy misses, he gets back, Shapoor dives and hurts his wrist!
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49.1 Afghanistan 207-9 (Hassan 15, Shapoor 8) 4 needed
Yorker from Wardlaw and Hassan winkles it out, squirted away for one on the off-side. Can he bopwl it to the lefty? Eight men up, one hit through them, and it’s over.
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48.7 Afghanistan 206-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 8) 5 needed
Berrington is short and legside, Shapoor turns it to fine-leg for four! Afghanistan are favourites now! Poor Berrington - four wickets, but has that over cost the game, and Scotland’s first World Cup win?
48.6 Afghanistan 202-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 4) 9 needed
Berrington goes around the wicket to the left-handed Shapoor, and it’s wide!
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48.5 Afghanistan 201-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 4) 10 needed
Into the body, hits Hassan on the thigh, they run a leg-bye.
48.4 Afghanistan 200-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 4) 11 needed
Hassan eases to cover, no run.
48.3 Afghanistan 200-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 4) 11 needed
Lovely from Shapoor, who knows what he’s doing - this is eased away into the off-side for one more.
48.2 Afghanistan 199-9 (Hassan 14, Shapoor 3) 12 needed
If Afghanistan can get a run a ball here, they’d be favourites going into the final over, and Hassan glances down to third man.
48.1 Afghanistan 198-9 (Hassan 13, Shapoor 3) 13 needed
Berrington back, turned away on the leg side by Shapoor, they run one.
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48th over: Afghanistan 197-9 (Hassan 13, Shapoor 2) Which of these two will win their first World Cup game? Evans returns, and Hassan dabs him away to third man for one. Shapoor looks a lot less confident than his pal, plays and misses, then one slanting across him is deflected behind - not out! Review! Thigh pad! Not out! Next ball is turned away to midwicket for one, then a bouncer that’s way high - it’s given wide - and the one after, the batsmen decline a single, Berrington hits direct, and they take a run for the Rick O’Shea. Final ball, Shapoor dabs into the off-side, and Afghanistan need 14 to win.
47th over: Afghanistan 192-9 (Hassan 11, Shapoor 0) Shenwari is still displeased, but this is still doable. Shapoor defends, Afghanistan need 19 to win, Haq has figures of 1/45 off his ten - he’s bowled well, and caught well too, apart from that one.
Drama! The umpire wants to check that the fielders were all where they were meant to be! Shenwari returns to the middle!
They were.
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WICKET! Shenwari c Davey b Haq 96 (Afghanistan 192-9)
Surely that’s that! Shenwari slogs, but this time doesn’t get the elevation or the direction that he needs, and picks out Davey on the midwicket fence; he catches on the crouch. Scotland go mad, but what an innings that was, but!
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47th over: Afghanistan 192-8 (Shenwari 96, Hassan 11) Majid Haq beings his final over, and this is it, you think. Haq comes around the wicket, Shenwari is eyeing up the field, but it really doesn’t matter- he smites the first ball with the spin and over midwicket for six. The second is wide, but he pastes the third flatter top a similar area, the fourth is fuller, straighter and a dot, and oh! Another six, murdered over square-leg! Last ball, he goes again...
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46th over: Afghanistan 173-8 (Shenwari 78, Hassan 11) Shenwari plays a big drive, edges to fine leg, and they run one. This is a very good over from Wardlaw - after two dots, Hassan blocks one that nearly rolls back onto the stumps, fends a short ball for a single, then they take another from the final ball, and it really is time for Shenwari to go.
45th over: Afghanistan 170-8 (Shenwari 76, Hassan 10) Hassan runs Haq’s first ball to the man at short third man, and is immediately hollered back by Shenwari. Then, next ball, they do go, Scotland could go either end, they go non-striker’s but the throw gives Haq plenty to do, he does it slowly, catching and bringing the ball towards the stumps, and Hassan is well in, with a single added to the total. Haq knows that Shenwari wants width, so he’s keeping it straight and Shenwari can’t manufacture it, until the last ball, of which he doesn’t get enough - it’s fielded on that same square-leg fence, and what an over that is, just two from it. 41 needed from 5 overs.
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44th over: Afghanistan 168-8 (Shenwari 75, Hassan 9) Hassan attempts a single after dropping Wardlaw into the off-side, but is forced to hurry back. But they get a single next ball - where will Shenwari go? The ball’s in the blockhole, so he digs it out dead straight for one morel, and with two slips for Hassan, there’s a gap on leg-side - which he finds, pulling an ill-advised bouncer to the square-leg fence. Then a single next ball, followed by a yorker that means Hassan’s on strike for the next over.
43rd over: Afghanistan 161-8 (Shenwari 74, Hassan 3) Haq back, and Shenwari goes, humping him down to long-on - MacLeod’s diving stop cuts off the boundary, and the batsmen don’t run. Then as Shenwari advances, Haq goes fuller - well bowled - but then what a strike! One knee, zetz, onto the roof and six! 91 metres! But they’re the only runs from the over, and still beneath the required rate.
42nd over: Afghanistan 155-8 (Shenwari 68, Hassan 3) Two jazzers in two days involving associate nations - must be a coincidence, eh, Dave. Shenwari knucks Evans’ first ball, not right out of the middle, but with the speed of the outfield, with enough - but Machan’s diving stop cuts it off, and they run one. Then, with three balls left, the batsmen turn down a single - surely Shenwari would back himself to find another - and Hassan turns down a short wide one, before the final ball flicks a pad and looks like four, but a tumbling save from Cross makes it none. This is running away from Afghanistan.
41st over: Afghanistan 154-8 (Shenwari 67, Hassan 3) 58 off 60 needed as Davey comes in for his final over. Shenwari clips him to mid-on, sends Hassan back, then pulls and finds the fielder again. There are so many singles to be had, he might just be better taking everything available, rather than hoping to take a boundary an over - but then he does, and Hassan pulls away from a short wide one.
40th over: Afghanistan 153-8 (Shenwari 66, Hassan 3) Two dots, and Shenwari goes, pulling Haq, but he miscues - he doesn’t get the intended height, and hits straight to the fielder at square-leg. Then run one, and then Hassan glances a delectable three to third man - Afghanistan are fighting here, and Shenwari flips a single to long-on, giving Hassan one more ball to negotiate, which he does easily.
39th over: Afghanistan 148-8 (Shenwari 64, Hassan 0) Here we go! Shenwari gets down on one knee and creams Davey’s second ball hard and flat, over the fence at midwicket for six. Then, he stands tall and long, directing four to point - that should improve his mood slightly - and backs it up with a single. Two deliveries for Hassan to defend, as we see that where Afghanistan are 148-8, Scotland were 149-8.
38th over: Afghanistan 137-8 (Shenwari 53, Hassan 0) Evans returns, and Shenwari has an airy drive - Afghanistan need 75 of 77. And he connects well with a pull next ball, but picks out the man on the fence and decides to stay put, before clipping a single. Hassan blocks out the rest of the over, and for the first time, more than a run a ball is required.
37th over: Afghanistan 136-8 (Shenwari 52, Hassan 0) Shenwari drives Berrington, who dives to cut off the prospect of a run, and then he crossbats hard to cover, and again, a diving fielder means he stays where he is. But next ball, he smacks to midwicket, they run two and that’s his fifty, only there’s no celebration - he’s still sulking, as well he might. A single off the next ball, the a walk down to order Hassan not to act like a silly-billy. He doesn’t.
36th over: Afghanistan 132-8 (Shenwari 49, Hassan 0) Powerplay. Shenwari hits over the top towards midwicket, but only gets a single, and Hassan blocks the remaining five balls.
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WICKET! Dawlat c Mommsen b Dawlat 9 (Afghanistan 132-8)
Oh no he isn’t! Dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. For no reason whatsoever, Dawlat attempts to smelt the final ball before the powerplay over the top, and Mommsen retreats from mid-on, diving and falling to hold onto a superb catch as he backward somersaults. Shenwari is not giggling and chortling at the hilarity of it all, rather hammering his bat into the turf.
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35th over: Afghanistan 132-7 (Shenwari 48, Dawlat 9) Berrington floats one onto Dawlat’s pads, and he helps it arahnd the kownah for one. Then, next ball, Shenwari picks up a half-volley walking into it, whizzing four back past the bowler’s dive. Lovely shot. He follows it with a single down to deep point, and Dawlat confidently blocks the penultimate delivery - he’s batting very responsibly, with calmness and authority.
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34th over: Afghanistan 126-7 (Shenwari 43, Dawlat 8) Lot of chatter behind the stumps as “Haqi” ambles in, “boy”, and Shenwari clips a single to midwicket, the Dawlat nads one to square-leg. Scotland are still favourites, but Afghanistan are inching their way back.
33rd over: Afghanistan 124-7 (Shenwari 42, Dawlat 7) Shenwari takes a single down to deep midwicket, and then Dawlat manages to impart the tinsiest fibre to one heading down leg, which gets him four. Shenwari adds a single, and that’s a reasonable over.
Majid Haq, bowling with the wind behind him, has just been timed at 41.6mph.
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) February 26, 2015
32nd over: Afghanistan 117-7 (Shenwari 40, Dawlat 2) Haq returns and Shenwari tries twice to shepherd the ball away for singles, failing twice. Third time, he paddles away on the off-side and they run one, after which he advises Dawlat, presumably to hang about. This is wonderfully tense now.
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31st over: Afghanistan 116-7 (Shenwari 39, Dawlat 2) Shenwari grabs four down to midwicket - only just, MacLeod’s hand touching the rope as he tried dragging it back. Next ball goes over mid-off and that’s four more - it’s time - and then facing the final ball, Shenwari bunts down into the off-side to add one and retain the strike.
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30th over: Afghanistan 107-7 (Shenwari 30, Dawlat 2) More dots, and the run rate is climbing - Afghanistan are grateful to Evans for a wide, and then Shenwari guides a single to third man. Dawlat turns one down from the final ball, to allow him the strike, and it’s getting to a point where he needs to do something, because batting this way, his team will lose.
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29th over: Afghanistan 105-7 (Shenwari 29, Dawlat 2) Wardlaw returns, and spears a full-toss towards Shenwari’s inside thigh - that’s a no-ball. Then, third ball, it’s short, and Shenwari thumps it down into the turf - Gardiner, the sweeper, hares around the rope and does well to restrict the batsmen to two.
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28th over: Afghanistan 101-7 (Shenwari 26, Dawlat 2) Shenwari tucks away one to midwicket - he seems to trust Dawlat, at least. But Evans then beats him with a beauty that leaves him. If Scotland keep the heid and send down a few more of those, we’ll not be here much longer.
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27th over: Afghanistan 100-7 (Shenwari 25, Dawlat 2) Dawlat flicks two to square-leg, but Berrington responds with five dots. The batsmen appear to have perked up though, and are steeling themselves for the fight.
“Collingwoods influence making sure that Scotland batted out their overs instead of swinging the bat?” posits David Thompson. “Could teach England...”
Perhaps - it’s also possible that the bowling was too good for them to get away. Also worth pointing out that England tend to play better batting sides, so it’s more incumbent upon them to score.
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26th over: Afghanistan 98-7 (Shenwari 25, Dawlat 0) Two dots from Davey, and then one that tempts Shenwari to play an aggressive shot. He misses, but also avoids edging, which is something, and that’s a maiden.
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25th over: Afghanistan 98-7 (Shenwari 25, Dawlat 0) On the plus side - if you’re Afghani - there’s a very long time to go, so no need to try anything unless the runs are easy. Other hand, who knows how long they can last? Paul Collingwood is wearing a vest.
24th over: Afghanistan 97-7 (Shenwari 24, Dawlat 0) The PA has it right. Guilty pleasures are silly, of course; are thing you like despite yourself different, or just part of an aimless word game?
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WICKET! Naib c Haq b Davey 0 (Afghanistan 97-7)
Bouncer from Davey, not exactly spitting with venom nor dripping with menace, but it’s well directed and well too good for Naib, who turns away from it and flicks behind. Even so, Haq judges his run well to snaffle it on the slide.
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24th over: Afghanistan 97-6 (Shenwari 24, Naib 0) At the same stage, Scotland were 96-5, and you’ve got to say, well batted Evans and Haq. Rather than throw the bat, they took care to bat out, knowing Afghanistan don’t bat well, and here we are. Here we are!
WICKET! Najibullah c Haq b Berrington 4 (Afghanistan 96-6)
Double, double, toil and trouble. Najibullah plays a drive, edges, and Majid flops to his right, hanging on around the clavicle area.
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23rd over: Afghanistan 96-5 (Shenwari 23, Najibullah 4) Berrington had two for seven off three at the start of this over, but he starts with a wide. Then, Shenwari nudges a single backwards of square on the off-side, before Najibullah leathers a cover-drive for four.
22nd over: Afghanistan 90-5 (Shenwari 22, Najibullah 0) Just a single from the over, and Scotland have got to be favourites now.
WICKET! Zazai lbw b Berrington 0 (Afghanistan 89-5)
Full and straight, Zazai plays around it, and is as plumbly plumb as any plumb ever plumbed a plumb-plumb. First baller, too, but more important, three wickets for four runs in less than three overs.
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21st over: Afghanistan 89-4 (Shenwari 21, Zazai 0) First ball of Berrington’s next over, Shenwari - now the key wicket - edges to Majid. Somehow, he contrives to not even impart a hand; dearie, dearie him, them, and all concerned. But still, this is a good, tight, pressure-building over, and then!
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WICKET! Nabi lbw b Davey 1 (Afghanistan 88-4)
Gosh, Ahmadi’s decision to slog Berrington looks rather ill-advised now. Davey’s ball was clipping the edge of leg-stump, umpire’s call job, and where, ten minutes ago, irt was obvious how this game would end, now, verily it is not.
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20th over: Afghanistan 88-3 (Shenwari 20, Nabi 1) Davey comes back, and bowls a good, tight over. Though his team need dismissals, if they can halt the flow of runs, Afghanistan will need to force things. And Davey, who’s second spell was very good against England, pins Nabi, there’s an appeal, and it’s given out! Review!
19th over: Afghanistan 87-3 (Shenwari 19, Nabi 1) Two singles from the over, and suddenly Scotland are clapping and talking. They’ll know that Afghanistan don’t bat especially well, but also that they need wickets - if they can’t get all ten, they’ll almost certainly lose.
WICKET! Ahmadi c Machan b Berrington 51(Afghanistan 85-3)
As I was saying. Ahmadi, who’s moved his feet so well, goes again, and for some reason opts to go straight down the ground. Instead, he goes straight up in the air, and Machan follows it well to hold on.
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18th over: Afghanistan 85-2 (Ahmadi 51, Shenwari 18) Wardlaw comes back after drinks, and Ahmadi uppercuts four over the slips. It’s probably closer than to them than he intended - Majid is very interested, but can’t quite grow enough - and still both brave and smart. Next ball, he glides a single down to third man to raise his fifty, and what an excellent innings it’s been, enterprising and clean. If he bats much longer, it’ll be a matchwinner.
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17th over: Afghanistan 78-2 (Ahmadi 45, Shenwari 17) Shenwari has had enough, and after solving 43 tangrams waiting for Majid’s ball to arrive, he plays a premeditated sweep that scuttles all the way to the square-leg fence. Scotland need another breakthrough.
16th over: Afghanistan 74-2 (Ahmadi 45, Shenwari 13) Berrington replaces Evans and his loosener is wide, Ahmadi waiting for it and cracking a cut down to the fielder at deep point - they run two, and add two more singles from the remainder of the over.
15th over: Afghanistan 70-2 (Ahmadi 42, Shenwari 12) Majid Haq must be the slowest bowler in the world - must’ve been some lost tennis balls in his back garden. But he must be clever in the flight, because no one’s getting him away - even when Ahmadi advances at the end of the over, he can only steer a single down yer long-on.
14th over: Afghanistan 67-2 (Ahmadi 40, Shenwari 11) The PA plays Wonderwall, which - though I doubt this is a popular opinion - still sounds as fresh as every great single always should. One from the over, until Shenwari knucks the penultimate ball for four down to point - where Ahmadi advances, he waits and rises. This prompts an effort ball from Evans, a wide, but the extra one is a beauty, drawing yerman forward and scooting past his outside edge.
13th over: Afghanistan 62-2 (Ahmadi 40, Shenwari 7) Haq’s off-spin into the attack, and his first ball turns into Ahmadi, who uses it to cart a single towards the square-leg boundary. Then another one turns, this time clipping the pad - there’s a matter-of-principle appeal, but it was going down. Afghanistan’s running is not exactly slick, and when Shenwari attempts a single and is sent back, the throw forces the keeper to drag onto the stumps, in which time ground is made.
12th over: Afghanistan 60-2 (Ahmadi 39, Shenwari 6) Evans’ first ball of his fourth over is a high wide, and then, after a bouncer, Ramiz Raja does his best West Indian accent - “smell the leather, mon”, he chortles, the wagster. Then, again, just as it’s seeming like another quiet over, a boundary - this time to Shenwari, his first. He picks Evans’ line and length, back of a length and outside off, and snaps him to the rope at backward point.
11th over: Afghanistan 55-2 (Ahmadi 39, Shenwari 2) Ahmadi again makes room, backing away, but this time, Davey follows him and achieves a dot. A single next ball brings Shenwari back on strike - he’s not in yet - but an inside-edge gets him down t’other t’end. Ahmadi then looks to pull one that slants across him - he misses, but is was too slanty, and called wide. Then, just as it’s looking like the momentum’s been lost, Ahmadi spots a short one very early and times a pull that speeds to the midwicket fence for his customary four of the over.
10th over: Afghanistan 48-2 (Ahmadi 35, Shenwari 1) Shenwari looks for singles from each of the first two balls - they were probably on, but Ahmadi sent him back both times. And again, third time - that definitely wan’t on. I can’t decide if these Scotland jerseys are great, or cheap and nasty pickernic blankets, while Evans shapes one away from Shenwari and that’s the end of the powerplay and a maiden.
9th over: Afghanistan 48-2 (Ahmadi 35, Shenwari 1) So, does Ahmadi keep attacking, on the basis that he can’t rely on others to stay with him, or look to be there at the end? Single each batsman off the over.
8th over: Afghanistan 46-2 (Ahmadi 34, Shenwari 0) Evans’ height was crucial there, in getting the bounce that elicited two wickets in the over.
WICKET! Stanikzai c Cross b Evans 4 (Afghanistan 46-2)
After swiping a four through cover, coming down the track, Stanikzai is beaten by one that bounces more than he anticipated, and he edges behind looking to run down. It’s going off!
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WICKET! Mangal b Evans 7 (Afghanistan 42-1)
My days, Scotland needed that. This is a lovely ball from Evans, outside off, bouncing, and jagging in. Mangal sort of offers it the face, but tentatively, and it rushes through the gate and confiscates his off bail.
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8th over: Afghanistan 42-0 (Ahmadi 33, Mangal 7) Mangal takes a single, and then Evans bounces Ahmadi, who can’t help but pull - but the ball gets big on him, and he top edges! The man at deep fine leg is running around the rope, he’s there, he’s missed it! Great effort, but once he was there and all that.
7th over: Afghanistan 40-0 (Ahmadi 32, Mangal 6) Wardlaw starts with a dot, but then, as Ahmadi makes room, fires one wide of the crease and it’s called wide. It’s a tad unlucky, as if the batsman had stayed still, he could’ve reached it. Wardlaw comes back well with four dots - it’s a matter of time before Ahmadi goes skipping - and there it is, this time off a straighter ball, which is duly clouted over mid-on. Oh look, and there’s another, this time pulled with whipcrack through midwicket. A good start is now a great start.
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6th over: Afghanistan 31-0 (Ahmadi 24, Mangal 6) Evans into the attack, and Mangal crack him to long-off - but MacLeod and Coetzer hare off in pursuit, each diving to pull the ball back from the rope, Coetzer brilliantly, and they run three.
5th over: Afghanistan 27-0 (Ahmadi 23, Mangal 3) Wardlaw tries a short one and Mangal tries to cut it away, instead edging - Mommsen dives at second slip, goalkeeper-style, and gets hands to it, but misses and they run one. Ahamadi then crunches another, this time to midwicket, and a long chase saves a boundary. Next, a single to Mangal gives him 1000 runs for his country, and the final ball entices Ahmadi down the track again, and makes room again, picks his spot again, and clumps over mid-off again. He fancies this.
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4th over: Afghanistan 18-0 (Ahmadi 16, Mangal 1) Davey’s cramping Ahmadi, who’s backing away to leg to open up the off-side - but then he trots down the track and swats over mid-off for four. Oh and there’s another - this time the width is there, and Ahmadi powers his wrists through the ball, again at the top of the bounce. Then, he misses, but is going hard enough so that even an edge might go to the fence. Good start, Afghanistan.
3rd over: Afghanistan 10-0 (Ahmadi 8, Mangal 1) The first ball of Wardlaw’s over is too short so bounces too high, called wide. Then Mangal gets off the mark dabbing to backward point and the next ball brings Ahamdi well down the track - he picks his spot and welts through cover for the first boundary of the innings. Then, after a dot, he steers a single to backward point, and sways inside a short one.
2nd over: Afghanistan 3-0 (Ahmadi 3, Mangal 0) Apropos of cricket matches, this being one such, what on earth is this appalling thickness about the ECB making Tests four days? This century, the average length is 4.36 days, according to @RicFinlay on Twitter. Sometimes, even on this planet, things are perfect; not many things, but Test cricket is one. Anyway, Ahamdi smacks Davey through cover and they run two - a long chase prevents any more - and that’s it for the over.
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1st over: Afghanistan 1-0 (Ahmadi 1, Mangal 0) Wardlaw opens, and Ahamdi cuts his first ball hard - straight to the man at point, but it tells us he intends to hit that which is there for hitting to occur. But the line improves after that, much straighter - until the final ball, hammered to mid-off on the up - the fielding’s good, and they hustle through for one.
Right, here we go. The players are ready. Do Afghanistan go for it in the powerplays? If it comes off, they can more of less deal with this in the next hour. If not, it’ll be tough.
“It is more usual to meet people in the morning, afternoon or evening,” reckons Jeroen van de Weijer. “But - call me old-fashioned - it is more usual to say goodbye to them at night. So good morning etc are greetings and good night is a farewell: usage rules.
Also interesting: why do we say ‘this morning’, ‘this afternoon’, ‘this evening’ but not ‘this day’ or ‘this night’? (because we already have the words ‘today’ and ‘tonight’ to express these). Linguistics rules.”
Right, but it’s hardly unprecedented to meet someone beyond evening. “Good day” works as both greeting and farewell, I think.
One person says “this day”.
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Why is good morning, good afternoon and good evening a greeting, but goodnight only a farewell? And why is it one word? Deep, yeah.
Anyway, good all of those things, wherever you happen to be; it looked for a time like we’d not have a game, but here we are, with a game. Oh, us!
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So Scotland make history, of sorts. Their highest every World Cup innings. Their first ever score of 200+ at the World Cup. And in the end, thanks to a very fine, very sensible and conservative stand between Haq and Evans at the end, they’ve got a total they’ve got half a chance of defending, against a side considerably more respected for their bowling than for their batting. “We’re happy,” says Hamid Hassan. “Hopefully we can achieve the score. It’s better for the batsmen to be patient. If you stick around for a few overs maybe you can play very easily because it’s not that hard a wicket. I’m enjoying my cricket so far. It’s beautiful conditions here for the bowling.”
Daniel Harris is now in the building, and he’ll take you through Afghanistan’s reply. All emails to daniel.harris.casual@theguardian.com, please. Bye!
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WICKET! Evans c Nabi b Shapoor 27 (Scotland 210 all out)
50th over: Scotland 210 all out
Evans gets only a single from the second ball, putting Wardlaw on strike. He totally misses the third – a slower delivery – and edges the fourth to third man for a single. Evans clips the fifth through midwicket, just missing the close fielder allowing an easy two. The final delivery of the innings is hoisted into the air and caught on its way down by Nabi. It’s not as many as Scotland wanted at the start of their innings, but it’s more than they were expecting halfway through it.
WICKET! Haq c Naib b Shapoor 31 (Scotland 206-9)
Haq scoops the first delivery of the final over way up into the air and Naib takes a fine catch as the ball swirls about in the breeze to get rid of him.
49th over: Scotland 206-8 (Haq 31, Evans 25)
The expensive Naib returns, and Evans thumps his second delivery over mid-off for four to bring up 200. He takes a wild swing at the next, and would have sent the ball flying off for six had he only hit it. Then he takes a couple of steps to his right and tries a ramp shot, misses it and instead clips the ball with his ankle and it rolls away for four leg byes.
48th over: Scotland 196-8 (Haq 31, Evans 19)
Evans’ innings is slowing, and that 200 target remains tantalisingly close, and yet so distant. Shapoor’s first delivery is a full toss, but Evans hits it only with the toe of his bat and manages just a single. Then Haq hits to midwicket and sends Evans back when he’s halfway down the pitch, but another run-out chance is missed. Later Haq scoops the ball high over midwicket but though it lands safely it’s stopped on the boundary. Add a wide, a no ball and then a final delivery that’s pitched short and edged by Haq over Zazai and away for four. This is now Scotland’s best ever World Cup innings, and surely now they’ll hit the double century?
47th over: Scotland 183-8 (Haq 21, Evans 17)
Hassan’s final over starts with four dots and then he bowls a very decent yorker, which Evans gets his bat to, outside-edging it with the very bottom of his bat to fine leg for a single. It’s the only run of the over.
46th over: Scotland 182-8 (Haq 21, Evans 17)
Nabi returns for his final over. Afghanistan seem to have given up on attempting to bowl Scotland out, for now at least. With Scotland not attempting to score particularly quickly, what we have is a strange semi-lull. Fortunately, what with us entering over 47, it can’t last long.
45th over: Scotland 180-8 (Haq 20, Evans 16)
Oh dear. Oh deary dear. Haq takes a quick single to midwicket but leaves himself again open to a direct hit. Ahmadi, bowling his first over, isn’t standing over the stumps to collect the ball, nobody’s backing up and eventually someone near the long-on boundary dives over the ball. A horrorshow.
44th over: Scotland 172-8 (Haq 14, Evans 14)
Naib continues, and Scotland add a pretty nerveless and totally chanceless four runs while being handed another thanks to a wide. That 200 is hoving back into view, with six overs to go. The batsmen both have 14 runs, Evans’ coming off 17 deliveries, Haq’s from 36.
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43rd over: Scotland 167-8 (Haq 11, Evans 13)
Shapoor’s first delivery clips Evans’ edge but lands well short of slip. Later Haq turns the ball to an understaffed midwicket and takes a cheeky two, only just returning in time. “Yes, the competition needs to be streamlined, but the ICC is being obtuse,” writes Matt Cast. “Three groups of five or even four of four seem such obvious options. The fact that Afghanistan are there and playing some excellent cricket (very nice seam attack) is such a tremendous and moving story, they deserve every chance to develop their game.” Absolutely unarguable, surely.
42nd over: Scotland 163-8 (Haq 8, Evans 12)
Naib returns, as Afghanistan hunt the two wickets that will end this innings prematurely. His first delivery is a bit wide, though, and Evans guides it past a nonexistent third man for four. There’s also a wide – Naib’s gone at six an over, when no one else has gone at anything over Nabi’s four.
41st over: Scotland 157-8 (Haq 8, Evans 7)
Dawlat angles his first delivery across the left-handed Haq, missing the edge my a particularly smidgy smidgeon. The final delivery does take an edge – very literally takes it, knocks it clean off the bat, forcing Haq to get a new one. That’s his last over done with – three wickets, 29 runs, good stuff.
40th over: Scotland 155-8 (Haq 7, Evans 6)
Hassan bowls from wide of the crease, beats Evans all ends up and the ball once again clears the stumps. Relieved, he thumps the last ball of the over – having in the meantime exchanged singles with Haq – through the covers for four. Scotland stream past 150, and have 10 overs and two wickets in hand to score the 45 they need to make fairly minor history.
39th over: Scotland 149-8 (Haq 6, Evans 1)
Run out chance! Evans turns Dawlat’s first delivery to midwicket and sets off on an optimistic run, giving the fielder a free shy at some very lonesome stumps. The ball skids just past – and we’re talking just past – with the batsman nowhere to be seen. And after that let-off, Scotland don’t even try to score any more.
38th over: Scotland 148-8 (Haq 6, Evans 0)
Hassan bowls five dots and then a filthy wide full toss that Haq slaps past point and away to the boundary.
37th over: Scotland 144-8 (Haq 2, Evans 0)
Dawlat bowls and, after a little introductory wide, Berrington survives an absolute belter that flies through the gate and misses the stumps by half an inch. Two deliveries later he goes anyway, another fine delivery that moves away. That wide excepted, that’s excellent bowling.
WICKET! Berrington c Zazai b Dawlat 25 (Scotland 144-8)
And that could be curtains for Scotland! Berrington seemed their last and certainly their best hope of reaching the mystical far-off land of the 200s, but ‘tis not to be. Another decent catch behind the stumps from Zazai, ankle height.
Big wicket for Afghanistan. Berrington edges behind for 25, and Scotland are eight down with 144 on the board. Evans to the middle.
— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) February 26, 2015
36th over: Scotland 143-7 (Berrington 25, Haq 2)
Hassan’s first delivery hits Berrington on the pad and the bat, in some kind of order. There’s a big appeal, but the umpire gives the batsman the benefit of the doubt, rather generously it seems. Afghanistan’s review having been used up, I guess we’ll never know for sure. It’s a fine over, bowled at a decent pace with a bit of movement off the pitch, and Scotland add but a single to their total.
35th over: Scotland 142-7 (Berrington 24, Haq 2)
“I’m really enjoying watching the associate nations play and seeing new players,” writes Matt Cast, as Shapoor bowls and concedes a couple of singles. “UAE v Zimbabwe was a very pleasant one to watch as well. Unoriginally, I’d like to add that surely the ICC cannot reduce the WC to 10 teams after the superb cricket being played by the underdogs.” I’d agree, but I also don’t think that the current extended group phase really works. Perhaps three groups of five would speed things up just a little?
34th over: Scotland 140-7 (Berrington 23, Haq 1)
“They’re a very passionate race of people,” Aghanistan’s coach, Andy Moles, tells Sky. “I’m delighted [with the current match situation] but there’s still a long way to go.” As if to prove the point, Berrington sends the ball tumbling through the covers for four.
33rd over: Scotland 134-7 (Berrington 18, Haq 0)
Wicket maiden. Scotland are now officially in a bad place. Haq comes in and waves his bat at his first (and last, for now) delivery as it flies across his pads on its way to Zazai. The Afghans think he touched it, too, but the umpire shakes his head and their appeal is all used up. As it turns out, the umpire was right – the ball clipped the pad.
Updated
WICKET! Davey c Hassan b Shapoor 1 (Scotland 134-7)
Davey pushes the ball to cover, where Hamid Hassan takes a decent catch at ankle height. His celebration isn’t the kind of things legends are made of – seated, legs splayed, tongue out – but he’s got a reputation to protect and it’s a decent effort, I suppose. EDIT: seems I missed a cartwheel.
Updated
32nd over: Scotland 134-6 (Berrington 18, Davey 1)
This is entertaining stuff, featuring as it does a very close lbw shout, a keen gather-and-throw from Nabi – Berrington would probably have survived a direct hit, but that’ll keep him honest – and just a couple of singles.
Not out!
Hawkeye says the ball would have clipped the top of the stumps, but it’s not enough to overturn the umpire’s on-field decision, and Berrington survives. Just. Skin o’the teeth stuff.
Referral! Is Berrington out here? Afghanistan think so, the umpire doesn't!
Looks like there’s a decent lbw shout here!
31st over: Scotland 132-6 (Berrington 17, Davey 0)
A topsy-turvy over from Shapoor, featuring as it did a particularly wide wide and also a particularly important wicket. Scotland are teetering.
Updated
WICKET! Cross c Zazai b Shapoor 15 (Scotland 132-6)
And the move pays off, big time! Shapoor engineers a thick edge and Zazai, diving to his right, takes a super one-handed catch to send Cross packing! That’s a great catch, is that.
30th over: Scotland 130-5 (Berrington 16, Cross 15)
The scoreboard keeps ticking over, two singles, a pair and a wide coming off Nabi’s over. These are key moments in this match: if this pair can survive the next 10 overs, the Scots will be in with a chance. Now, Shapoor has been beckoned back, with the aim of stopping them.
29th over: Scotland 125-5 (Berrington 13, Cross 14)
Naib bowls short and wide to Berrington, a trashy delivery and it is appropriately dealt with, heaved over point for four.
28th over: Scotland 117-5 (Berrington 6, Cross 13)
Nabi, who’s been so disciplined so far, lets one slip down the leg side, Zazai misjudges it and off it bounces for five wides. Four of the remaining six deliveries go for singles.
Updated
27th over: Scotland 108-5 (Berrington 4, Cross 11)
Hassan bowls a super yorker to Berrington, but the batsman just about gets willow to it. Just the single off the over, speared to third man by Cross.
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26th over: Scotland 107-5 (Berrington 4, Cross 10)
So, Scotland’s scores at World Cups: 181, 167, 163, 68, 121, 131, 186, 136, 142, 184. They’ve not come anywhere near 230 before (though to be fair only one of those games, the 136 against Holland, was against a team they might really fancy themselves to get a result against). (Though to be fair you could probably add England the other day to that list). Will they reach 200 for the first time today? It’s still looking pretty distant.
Updated
25th over: Scotland 104-5 (Berrington 3, Cross 8)
Hassan returns, and Cross greets him with a fine shot to deflect the ball past point for four, in so doing sending the Scots’ total into three figures. He adds a single a couple of balls later, giving Berrington time for an awkward few deliveries during which survival rather than scoring was uppermost in his mind.
24th over: Scotland 99-5 (Berrington 3, Cross 3)
Another lightning over from Nabi, three singles off it. Whoosh!
23rd over: Scotland 96-5 (Berrington 2, Cross 1)
That’s a very fine over from Naib, whose coaxing just enough movement from the pitch to keep the batsmen distinctly uncomfortable.
WICKET! Mummsen c Zazai b Naib 23 (Scotland 95-5)
Well that hurts. Nice delivery that moves away slightly off the seam and gently kisses the bat on its way through to the keeper.
22nd over: Scotland 95-4 (Mommsen 23, Berrington 2)
Interestingly poised, this innings. Scotland are only a couple of quick wickets away from disaster, but they’ve laid a reasonable foundation – if they survive their 50 overs they should be in a decent position.
WICKET! Machan b Nabi 31 (Scotland 93-4)
Nabi sends down a slightly slower delivery and Machan gives himself room, swings his bat with a mighty swish, misses the ball completely, and it clips leg stump. A good innings, but Scotland kind of needed it not to end right now.
21st over: Scotland 92-3 (Machan 31, Mommsen 22)
With Naib and Nabi the two bowlers at present, it’s important for OBOers to be very careful with their typing. Like over 20 Machan scores two from the first ball and a single from the fourth. Unlike over 20 Mommsen adds a single of his own off the last.
20th over: Scotland 88-3 (Machan 28, Mommsen 21)
Crikey, Nabi shoots through those overs. He is seriously speedy. By the time you’ve checked your Twitter feed and seen if anyone’s filed any decent pictures yet, it’s over. Whoosh.
19th over: Scotland 85-3 (Machan 25, Mommsen 21)
A fine over for Scotland starts with a delicious cover drive from Machan for four and then, after a single, Mommsen also sends a cover drive to the boundary, although his is entirely the result of a fielder diving right over the ball when he should have stopped it.
18th over: Scotland 74-3 (Machan 19, Mommsen 16)
Mohammad Nabi’s first over is, well, quick. The beauty of a short run-up, I suppose. His disciplined medium-pace brings a couple of singles.
17th over: Scotland 72-3 (Machan 18, Mommsen 15)
Machan’s second boundary of the day is reward for a nice cover drive, while his third, off the next ball, is considerably less impressive, an outside edge that flies past a diving second slip.
16th over: Scotland 64-3 (Machan 10, Mommsen 15)
Dawlat’s seventh over begins with a wideish delivery that Machan guides behind point for four. But the single off the following delivery is the last run of the over.
15th over: Scotland 59-3 (Machan 5, Mommsen 15)
The all-rounder Gulbadin Naib does some bowling, and he gets one to swing gently into the bowler, and then to jag violently off the seam, but it clears the stumps – and the next, approximately 0.08% as threatening as the last, is clobbered through midwicket for four by Mommsen.
14th over: Scotland 55-3 (Machan 5, Mommsen 11)
Mommsen pushes Dawlat’s first delivery through the covers for a fine four, bringing up 50 for Scotland in the process. The next goes through square leg for a couple, and then he keeps strike by taking a leg bye off the last.
13th over: Scotland 48-3 (Machan 5, Mommsen 5)
Hassan bowls, and Scotland add four in ones and twos (well, a two). The Scots need a big partnership here, or very soon. Um, obviously.
12th over: Scotland 44-3 (Machan 2, Mommsen 4)
If Dawlat’s first delivery was decent enough to do for Coetzer, his last is weak and wide and Mommsen helps himself to his first boundary of the day.
Updated
WICKET! Coetzer b Dawlat 25 (Scotland 40-3)
That’s a big wicket! Coetzer takes a swing at the ball but his bat arrives late and meanwhile the ball dissects the very large gap between bat and pad on its way to removing off stump. Scotland are in trouble here, and need a captain’s innings from Mommsen!
11th over: Scotland 40-2 (Coetzer 25, Machan 2)
The first appeal was a bit optimistic, the second a bit more likely (although it turns out it probably didn’t hit anything at all, I thought it might just have clipped a pade on its way through), and the third absolutely thudded into the pad and Ruchira Palliyaguruge raises his finger. I thought it was sliding wide of leg stump, but it was certainly very close and the umpire might have been ground down by all the appealing.
Updated
WICKET! Gardiner lbw b Hassan 5 (Scotland 38-2)
Gardiner survives an lbw appeal only for there to be another one next ball! He survives that one too, only for there to be another one next ball! And that time, he’s out.
10th over: Scotland 38-1 (Coetzer 25, Gardiner 5)
Dawlat continues, and though there are a couple of weak deliveries pitched short and wide, Gardiner’s facing them and he’s still honing his radar, having faced 10 deliveries before the start of that over, and 15 now. Five runs off it, but there could have been a few more.
9th over: Scotland 33-1 (Coetzer 25, Gardiner 2)
Hassan bowls a maiden. Coetzer’s done pretty well at punishing the weak stuff, but there isn’t a whole lot of it at the moment. Good length.
8th over: Scotland 33-1 (Coetzer 25, Gardiner 2)
A quieter over, with the batsmen grabbing a single apiece from the first delivery and the last.
7th over: Scotland 31-1 (Coetzer 24, Gardiner 1)
Misfield! After a couple of dots, Coetzer scoops the ball over backward point and the fielder running round from third man – a substitute – misjudged it and let the ball bounce through his hands and over the boundary. There’s no stopping the next one, though, slapped off the middle of the bat and away past long off before any fielder can so much as start their chase.
6th over: Scotland 23-1 (Coetzer 16, Gardiner 1)
Lovely over from Dawlat, pitching it up, aiming at leg stump and coaxing the ball to move away. There’s one absolute zinger in there, which moves so far off the seam that it misses Coetzer’s bat by a good three inches. It’s a maiden.
5th over: Scotland 23-1 (Coetzer 16, Gardiner 1)
Gardiner gets a single, and Coetzer boshes the ball over cover and away for four. Now, obviously while my focus is on Dunedin I’d also like to keep you up to date with the biggest stories from outside cricket. If something enormous happens while this match is on, it is my duty to tell you about it. And so it is that I must report that the showpiece conclusion to the Brits included Madonna theatrically falling backwards down a flight of stairs.
4th over: Scotland 18-1 (Coetzer 12, Gardiner 0)
Coetzer continues to punish the weak, wide deliveries, and Dawlat dishes up a classic one of those, short and meek, which is boshed past point for four.
3rd over: Scotland 12-1 (Coetzer 6, Gardiner 0)
Coetzer does what MacLeod should have done, drilling the ball along the ground past point and away to the boundary. Gardiner, incidentally, returns to the side today having scored a 105-ball 96 the last time he played Afghanistan (the match they lost – he didn’t play in the one they won).
2nd over: Scotland 7-1 (Coetzer 1, Gardiner 0)
Dawlat’s first ball brings the first boundary, flicking off Coetzer’s pads and away down the leg side. His second’s a beauty, leaving the batsman all squared up only to fly three inches over the bails. There’s also another leg bye and a wide, so MacLeod was perhaps feeling it was about time a run was scored off the bat when he got himself out off the last ball.
WICKET! MacLeod c Najibullah Zadran b Dawlat 0 (Scotland 7-1)
MacLeod, given a bit of width, leans back and slaps the ball straight to the chap at backward point, and Scotland’s opening partnership is broken distressingly early.
Updated
1st over: Scotland 1-0 (Coetzer 1, MacLeod 0)
Shapoor Zadran runs in. And runs. And then runs some more. He pretty much starts his run-up on the boundary rope. If you’ve never seen him in action, imagine Eddie Hemmings bowling and then change absolutely everything about what you’ve just imagined.
Scotland to bat first, 1 change to the starting line up with Gardiner replacing Coleman. Coetzer and MacLeod to open the batting.
— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) February 25, 2015
Updated
The anthems have been chirped, so there’s nothing standing between us and action. Loins girded.
“Evening Simon. Some runs, yeah, but how many?” wonders Simon McMahon. “230 seems to be the target for Scotland to put themselves in the game and give Afghanistan something to think about. A good start is essential. Pipers at the ready in Dunedin. It’s all set up. Come on Scotland!” I’d have thought 230 would be a very reasonable total, particularly if they can come even close to repeating the bowling performance they mustered when they last played these opponents, in Abu Dhabi.
I can’t find an Afghan Top 40, sadly.
Chart update! Ellie Goulding is No1 in Scotland, as she is in the UK as a whole and in New Zealand as well, which is a little boring. So here’s the top New Zealand artists of the moment, Six60, with Special, for all you pop pickers on a Brits comedown. I’d like to say that it was with similar poking around the nether regions of the New Zealand charts that I discovered a singer called Lorde a couple of years ago. I’m using the word “discover” somewhat liberally here.
“We need to get some runs on the board and put them under pressure,” says Mommsen. “I think it’ll stay pretty much the way it is for the whole day.” He’s not asked what he’d have done had he won the toss, which seems an oversight.
Afghanistan win the toss and will bowl first
So for the third successive game between these sides, Scotland bat first. “We’ll try our best to put pressure on the Scotland side, and we have good fast bowling as well. They’re looking good. We’ll try our best to perform well,” says Mohammad Nabi.
It’s time for the toss. “I think the first two games have put us in a better place. We’ve played a lot of cricket against Afghanistan and hopefully that will help us today,” says Mommsen.
From Scotland captain Preston Mommsen’s pre-match press chatter, I’ve permed a couple of key quotes:
We take a huge psychological advantage from that game in Abu Dhabi.
Generally a Scotland-Afghanistan game is quite feisty and there’s quite a bit of passion on display, quite a bit of aggression
Which all sounds very promising, really.
Hello world!
So, after Ireland and the UAE treated us to probably the best game of the tournament so far this morning/yesterday/recently, we wait with fevered anticipation for this potentially-wildly-exciting-who-knows-finger-crossed encounter.
The teams have played twice already in 2015, in the Dubai triangular series (which also involved Ireland) in January. On both occasions Scotland batted first and scored in the low 200s – 237 on the first occasion, and 213 on the second. In the first match Afghanistan scored 240 in 38 overs to win by eight wickets; on the second they were bowled out inside 19 overs and lost by 150 runs. In the first game Josh Davey’s seven overs went for 46 runs at 6.57 apiece and he didn’t take any wickets; in the second his eight-and-a-half overs went for 28 runs at 3.29 apiece, and he took six wickets (though perhaps tellingly Iain Wardlaw, who took four wickets in the second game, didn’t play in the first).
Anyway, the key thing we can conclude from this is that anything could happen. Which is as it should be. What’s more, given the state of the pool, the stakes could scarcely be higher. Will Scotland grab their first World Cup win in Dunedin today/tonight/whenever? Time alone will tell – and not much of it either.
Simon will be here shortly. In the meantime, read up on how Ireland overcame the UAE side:
Ireland were bailed out by a giant slice of fortune and big innings from Gary Wilson and Kevin O’Brien as they beat the United Arab Emirates in a thriller at the Gabba.
After their stunning opening win over the West Indies in Pool B at the World Cup, Ireland looked to be deep in trouble this time against supposedly inferior opposition.
But 80 from man of the match Wilson and a spectacular 25-ball innings of exactly 50 from the destructive O’Brien spurred Ireland to a two-wicket victory in Brisbane, reaching their target of 279 with four balls to spare.
Early in the innings, the former England batsman Ed Joyce incredibly survived a delivery striking his off stump, when the bails bounced and shuffled but landed immaculately back in place in their groove.
The left-hander was 16 not out and went on to make 37, crucial runs come the end of the game for Ireland as they made it two wins from two matches so far.
Wilson said of his runs: “I was delighted. I hadn’t had too many coming into the game so it was nice to come back and make a good contribution.
“I was confident. I told myself it was my day and luckily enough it worked out.
“I’ve batted a lot with Kev over the years at county and international level and we dovetailed quite well together, it was great to have a partner like that.”
