Scotland slump again to Dawlatzai

Scotland ended day two battling to avoid an innings defeat after a second slump with the bat against Izatullah Dawlatzai. He added a second five-wicket haul to take Afghanistan to the verge of victory with Scotland still six runs away from forcing a fourth innings.

Dawlatzai added 5 for 37 to his first-innings 6 for 57 to send Scotland spiralling towards defeat. His wicket of Kyle Coetzer late in the day raised the possibility of a two-day finish. Coetzer was the only batsman in the top order to have any kind of an innings but his half-century was a lone hand in a miserable batting display that saw Scotland 27 for 4 against the new ball.

There was, at least, some response as wicketkeeper David Murphy survived 59 balls for 23 but his dismissal brought four wickets for just 14 runs - one them Coetzer - and it was left to Gordon Drummond and Safyaan Sharif to scrap Scotland into a third day.