Ireland looks to Porterfield as tight match unfolds

Another tense and tight battle between old rivals Scotland and Ireland is being played out in Aberdeen with Ireland ahead by 96 runs with seven second-innings wickets remaining as the bowlers enjoy the best of the overcast conditions.

Scotland just managed to secure the six points on offer for an innings lead as Qasim Sheikh almost single-handedly dragged his side over the line on day two.

The 24-year-old Glaswegian was the only Scotland player to make it past 30 and he was left unbeaten on exactly 100 as Ireland left-arm slow bowler Regan West took a magnificent seven wickets at the other end.

With Kyle McCallan chipping in with two scalps of his own, it was definitely a day for the slow bowlers but Qasim's priceless innings made sure Scotland reached 208 all out, a lead of just six runs.

In a thrilling conclusion to the first innings, Ireland pushed for the final wickets as the Scots looked to pass its total of 202 and bag the six points on offer. And at 196-7, that job seemed like a foregone conclusion but a quick wicket each for West and McCallan stunned Scotland to 199-9 and made for some tense moments in the Scotland camp.

But Sheikh did the business and then just had enough time to raise his bat for a fine century before number 11 Alasdair Evans was out, caught and bowled by West to complete the innings.

Ireland's second innings began well with William Porterfield and Jeremy Bray putting on 63 for the first wicket but three wickets before the close handed the initiative back to Scotland with a fascinating third day in store on Wednesday. Ireland will be relying on skipper Porterfield (52 not out) to help build its lead which was 96 by the close of play.

Meanwhile, a second brilliant innings from Tatenda Taibu has left the ICC Intercontinental Cup match between Zimbabwe XI and Afghanistan in the balance at the close of play on day three in Mutare.

At the start of the day, resuming on 358-7 in reply to Zimbabwe's XI 350-7, Mohammad Nabi scored a brilliant 102 as Afghanistan was dismissed for 427 all out. Timycen Maruma was the pick of Zimbabwe's bowlers as the 21-year-old off-spinner took 6-106.

Although it was 117-5 at tea, Tatenda Taibu's century led Zimbabwe XI's fightback in the final session of the day. At the close, the home team had moved on to 269-6, some 196 runs ahead, but had just lost Taibu for 120, a knock that lasted 195 balls and included 19 fours.

At rain-affected Hamilton, it was another low-scoring affair between Bermuda and Uganda on the second day of the ICC Intercontinental Shield. Resuming on 71-4, Uganda lost a flurry of quick wickets and crumbled to 119 all out, with skipper Akbar Baig adding only two runs to his overnight score of 32.

There was little other resistance from the African side as only three batters made it into double figures - an identical scenario to Bermuda's efforts in the first innings when it made just 91 all out. Off-spinner Rodney Trott was the pick of the home side's attack as he recorded figures of 5-39.

Then in Bermuda's second innings, it lost both openers early on leaving it struggling on 20-2, before Steven Outerbridge (23) and David Hemp (26 not out) led a mini-recovery. But two more wickets before the close of play leaves Bermuda on 74-4, just 46 runs ahead.