Netherlands take opening honours despite Munsey fireworks

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It meant George Munsey's blistering 32 off 11 balls at the top of the order went in a losing cause.

The Netherlands' chase of Scotland's 153/7 went down to the penultimate ball before they pocketed the points at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Wednesday, 13 February. They could fend off the fightback from the Scottish bowlers thanks to the early work done by the pair of Visee and Stephan Myburgh, who put on a solid hundred-run opening stand in 11.4 overs.

Visee put on quite the show, slamming eight fours and three sixes in his half-century. But when the two well-set batsmen fell in consecutive overs, within one run of each other, Scotland sensed their opportunity.

Michael Leask got the first breakthrough, having Myburgh caught, before Safyaan Sharif rattled Visee's stumps and Mark Watt sent back Max O'Dowd. The experienced Ryan ten Doeschate (16*) and Wesley Barresi (20*), though, went along at a measured pace to get over the line.

Earlier, Scotland raced out of the blocks to be 33 in the first two overs. Munsey was the one offering the fireworks, his 32 runs off 10 balls by then including five fours and two sixes.

The Netherlands wrested back the initiative to reduce them to 44/4, Timm van der Gugten picking up two of those wickets, before a vital half-century from Calum MacLeod, playing his first international innings since being crowned ICC Men's Associate Player of the Year 2018, revitalised the Scotland innings.

MacLeod's 53 came off 45 balls and included seven fours. He found a steady partner in Craig Wallace (27 off 19) for a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket, and while the team might have hoped for more considering the start they got, it set up a competitive total.

For the Netherlands, van der Gugten finished with 2/35 and Fred Klaassen had 2/38.