Rain washes out England v Scotland but it’s the Scots who won the draw

Match Drawn
Scotland 90-0 (10 overs)
England did not bat

The much anticipated British derby game in the T20 World Cup cricket was ruined by that most British of things, the rain.

But that does not tell the full story of how Scotland dominated what cricket was played. Winning the toss and batting, they had negotiated 6.2 overs and made 51-0 before the first shower came.

With the weather ominous, many thought England would be set a target with what remaining time left, but the Scots were sent back out again to complete 10 overs. To their credit, they added another 39 off 22 balls and lost no wickets.

90-0 in T20, a format of cricket where your wicket is worth less than any other, is a formidable effort.

George Munsey and Michael Jones rarely looked troubled bar one catch off a no ball. There was less of the mad swiping normally seen in this form of cricket.

The Scots openers made the England bowlers, notably Chris Jordan, look fairly ordinary and Moheen Ali was simply not a threat.

Jones finished with 45* (30 balls) and Munsey 41* (31). Both of them can take immense amounts of conidence into their next outing against Namibia at the same stadium. Victory for either side will give them a real chance of qualification.

Rashid bowled his two overs for an expensive 26. Joffra Archer was reasonably troubling on a wicket not suited for pacemen, and only really Mark Wood can look at his two overs for 11 with much pleasure.

England face Australia next. The Aussies canceled their net practice at the Oval and will be ernestly hoping they are given a chance to get a result against Oman tomorrow. If that is washed away, their match with England suddenly becomes an even tenser affair.

With a wider view, some may say this was the day Scottish international cricket came of age. They looked anything but out of their depth, although only two men had any field time. The body language all round was based out a knowledge that they belonged here.

The nine that did not play however can take great pleasure in the point against one of the elite nations amd will be champing at the bit to get at Namibia, back here later this week, with both sides going into that fixture unbeaten.