All-round Soper puts PNG in control

Meaty lower-order contributions followed by a steady bowling effort allowed Papua New Guinea to inch ahead of Scotland on the second day of their ICC Intercontinental Cup clash at Port Moresby's Amini Park on Monday (October 2).

PNG resumed the day at 285 for 7 and Scotland would have entertained hopes of keeping the host to within 300. Instead, Chad Soper, Norman Vanua and Damien Ravu dug their heels in and lifted PNG to 404. Soper and Mahuru Dai then picked up two apiece to leave Scotland on 189 for 4, 215 runs in deficit, at close.

Dai made the first breakthrough, having the dangerous Kyle Coetzer dismissed for 24 to end a 64-run opening stand with George Munsey. Munsey and Callum MacLeod were just settling into a healthy partnership when Soper's right-arm seam accounted for the former for 53.

MacLeod was then removed one short of fifty by Dai, who bowls a mix of leg-breaks and seam-up deliveries, and to further tilt things in PNG's favour, Soper dismissed Matthew Cross for 10 in the closing stages of the day's play. Richard Berrington and Craig Wallace were the two unbeaten batsmen, on 29 and 12 respectively.

Earlier Soper, resuming the day at 32, was the first to bring up his fifty, but couldn't last much longer, falling prey to Chris Sole for 60 to end a 93-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Vanua.

Vanua, who began the day on 17, then forged another handy 41-run stand with Ravu before falling to Alasdair Evans for 64. Ravu was the last batsman to be dismissed for an enterprising 35-ball 32, by Michael Leask.

Saiyan Sharif, who took four wickets on the opening day, was unable to add to the tally but was still the pick of the Scotland bowlers. Evans and Leask chipped in with two apiece.

PNG, with two wins and three losses in five games, is fifth on the points table, while Scotland, still searching for its first win after five games, is placed second from last on the eight-team table.