McCreath and Cross lead Scotland to winning start in tri-series

A 57-run sixth-wicket stand between debutant Finlay McCreath and Matthew Cross steered Scotland out of trouble and set them up for a winning start in the T20 tri-series. Aryan Dutt and Zach Lion-Cachet put Netherlands in a strong position early on, helping reduce the hosts to 76 for 5, but Scotland eventually recovered to win by 39 runs.

Sent in to bat, Scotland made a mixed start, with George Munsey powering his way to a 17-ball 30 amid a steady drip of wickets, with offspinners Dutt and Lion-Cachet striking twice each in the first 11 overs. McCreath (40 off 28 balls) and Cross (33 off 24), however, ensured they would get to a competitive total, though not a daunting one as Netherlands hit back by taking 3 for 27 off the last 20 balls of the innings.

Netherlands didn't carry that momentum into their chase of 161, though. While runs came at one end for a while, courtesy Michael Levitt's 30-ball 36, there was no stopping the fall of wickets at the other. At 93 for 9 in the 15th over, Netherlands were in danger of falling short of 100, but a tenth-wicket partnership of 28 between Dutt and Paul van Meekeren (20* off 11) ensured that didn't happen. It was the highest partnership of the innings, and, at 21 balls, the second-longest.

For Scotland, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt and Jack Jarvis took two wickets apiece, while Michael Leask conceded just 19 in his four overs while taking the wicket of Levitt.