Coetzer, Mommsen star in thumping Scotland win

Scotland's batsmen celebrated the annual Fringe Festival in Edinburgh by orchestrating a run fest of their own at The Grange Cricket Club Ground on Sunday afternoon as captain Preston Mommsen and vice-captain Kyle Coetzer brought up centuries in a 98-run rout over UAE.

It was just the second time that two Scotland batsmen scored centuries in the same ODI, the previous effort coming seven years ago in a loss to Canada. Coetzer, Richie Berrington and Mommsen also each passed 1000 career ODI runs each - in that order - joining Gavin Hamilton and Neil McCallum.

Coetzer ensured the hosts would not be on the losing end this time, his 127 laying the platform for Scotland's second-highest ODI total - 327 for 5. UAE let themselves down badly after sending Scotland in at the toss. Mohammad Shahzad set the tone for a wretched fielding display when, in the third over, opener Craig Wallace top-edged his first delivery but Shahzad spilled a straightforward chance at long leg.

That opened the doors for a 78-run opening stand. Coetzer targetted Mohammad Naveed and captain Amjad Javed during the Powerplay, and at one point, clubbed six fours and a six in the space of 15 balls off Naveed, Javed and Krishna Chandran to bring up his half-century off 37 balls.

Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza's introduction slowed Scotland as he removed Wallace for 16 with his third ball. Raza also got Calum MacLeod, with a simple return catch, in the 20th over in a superb spell of 2 for 28 where he bowled 10 overs straight. Coetzer had been dropped on 73 off Raza when a top-edged sweep looped up straight to Naveed, who was positioned perfectly on the circle at short fine leg, but let it through his hands.

The drop seemed to play on the mind of Naveed, who returned for a second spell in the 29th over and routinely dropped too short to be punished by Coetzer. In all, Coetzer struck nine of his 14 fours off Naveed, including a cover drive in the 33rd over for his 12th four and third ODI ton, off 102 balls.

The third-wicket stand with Mommsen had realised 112 before Coetzer drove to long-on where Shaiman Anwar took a juggling catch on the rope to give Shahzad his first wicket. Anwar took another catch at long-on off Shahzad two overs later to remove Michael Leask for 10, leaving Scotland 236 for 4 in the 41st over.

Mommsen, though, propelled Scotland to 91 off the last nine overs, including a 69-run stand with Richie Berrington for the fifth wicket. The stand ended in the 48th over when Berrington skied one to the deep point sweeper for a 16-ball 27. While Coetzer profited most from the straight boundaries, Mommsen peppered the leg-side rope for eight of his nine fours, including a series of paddle sweeps. Mommsen got to his fifty in 61 balls, and took only another 34 to bring up his second ODI ton.

A scoop over fine leg off Shahzad in the final over gave Mommsen 1000 career ODI runs. His only prior ODI ton also came against UAE, an unbeaten 139 to win the final of the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand.

UAE's chase got off to a very confident start with Rohan Mustafa and L Sreekumar racking up 68 in the Powerplay. Sreekumar flicked Alasdair Evans for two fours over midwicket and a third driven back down the ground in the medium-pacer's first over, which went for 16. But Evans dragged his length back in his next over, the 12th of the innings, and Sreekumar fended a short ball to wicketkeeper Matthew Cross to end the opening stand on 72. Evans claimed Mustafa in the 16th over for 43, courtesy of a spectacular diving catch at point by Berrington to make it 79 for 2.

From there, wickets fell at regular intervals with Con de Lange applying solid pressure in a superb display of left-arm spin to finish with 2 for 35. The next best partnership was 40 for the eighth wicket as Javed made a late fightback with 32 off 19. Javed hit Evans hard in the 41st over, before miscuing one to extra cover. Evans knocked over Chandran next to finish with 4 for 41 in eight overs, before Leask sealed the match, having Saqlain Haider top-edge to fine leg as UAE were bowled out for 229 in 43.3 overs.

The win for Scotland brought them level with Hong Kong on the WCL Championship table in second place with nine points, three behind Netherlands. UAE remains in joint-last place with Namibia on two points. The two sides face off again on Tuesday.