Scotland overcame a determined fight from Hayley Matthews to open their Women’s Cricket World Cup qualifying campaign with an 11-run victory over West Indies in Lahore.
West Indies captain Matthews claimed 4-56 as Scotland were bowled out for 244 having been asked to bat first in Pakistan.
The 27-year-old was then forced to retire hurt during her own innings, but returned to reach 114, putting her side within touching distance of victory before she ran out of partners, when Scotland’s leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood (2-60) trapped Aaliyah Alleyne (17) leg-before.
Scotland made a slow start, scoring only 23 off the opening seven overs, and then fell to 62-2 after skipper Kathryn Bryce (6) was caught behind off Matthews.
But Sarah Bryce (55) and Megan McColl (45) put on 82 for the fifth wicket as Scotland amassed a defendable total with the former scoring a half-century.
West Indies were aggressive in their approach to chasing that down behind the power of Matthews, who finished with 14 boundaries, but would be undone by Sarah Bryce’s impressive play behind the wicket.
Bryce accounted for four wickets, three of them catches, as well as the run out of Stafanie Taylor (8), as West Indies collapsed from 192-5 to 203-9 in the space of three overs.
When Karishma Ramharack went for a duck, caught and bowled by Katherine Fraser, Matthews limped back on for a second time and, together with Alleyne built a partnership worth 30, offering hope of an unlikely victory, before Maqsood had the final word.
Scotland will be back in action on Friday against Pakistan.
