Gritty Berrington gives Scotland handy lead

Richie Berrington led the way with a career-best 129 to help Scotland gain the upper hand on the third day of its Intercontinental Cup clash against Papua New Guinea at Amini Park in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday.

Aided by useful contributions throughout the batting order, Berrington slammed his second-first class ton as Scotland finished the second day of this four-day contest on 482 for 9 with a hefty 78-run lead.

Scotland resumed on a somewhat uncertain 189 for 4, still trailing PNG by 215 runs, and then lost Craig Wallace early in the day, trapped lbw by Norman Vanua for 23, to slip to a more precarious 223 for 5.

Michael Leask, making his first-class debut, then joined Berrington in the middle and the duo revived the innings with a 91-run stand for the seventh wicket. Leask reached his maiden half-century in the process, before being accounted for by Nosaina Pokana, the left-arm seamer for 58, with the score on 313 for 6, and PNG’s first innings total of 404 still some distance away.

Safyaan Sharif then joined Berrington for another half-century stand before Mahuru Dai, the legspinner, got into the act to claim his third wicket of the innings, getting rid of Sharif for 25, with Scotland still 38 runs behind.

However, any hopes of PNG restricting Scotland to under 400 were dashed by Mark Watt, who put together a 61-run stand with Berrington to push Scotland into the lead. Watt, primarily in the team for his left-arm spin, was batting for the first time in what was only his third first-class match.

Berrington was finally dismissed in the last session of the day, stumped by Jack Vare off Assad Vala, the skipper, but not before taking his side to a position of strength after a 297-ball essay.

Watt slammed six fours and a six enroute his maiden first-class fifty, ending the day unbeaten on 61, with Chris Sole, the No. 11 batsman for company on 14 not out.