Scotland 213-6 (20 ovs) (B McMullen 68, R Berrington 54) beat Ireland 205-9 (20 ovs) (M Adair 72; B Currie 513) by 8 runs
Scotland rounded off a triumphant T20 World Cup qualifying campaign with an eight-run victory over Ireland thanks to a virtuoso showing from Bradley Currie at The Grange in Edinburgh on Friday.
Both teams had already guaranteed their spot in next year’s global tournament in the West Indies and the United States, but Scotland prevailed in a high-scoring thriller to top the Regional Final group.
Currie took the first four Ireland wickets to fall as they lurched to 44 for four in pursuit of 214 but Paul Stirling’s side recovered as Mark Adair’s audacious 72 off 36 balls – batting at number eight – left them requiring 20 off the final 12 balls.
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However, Currie snared Adair and leaked just one run from the penultimate over to finish with astonishing figures of 4-1-13-5.
That put the breaks on Ireland, who were unable to recover as they finished on 205 for nine to lose by eight runs.
Currie took three for 18 on Thursday against Denmark but this showing, in just the left-arm seamer’s sixth T20 international, is the best of his burgeoning career and marks him out as one to watch.
Scotland’s total of 213 for six owed much to Brandon McMullen’s aggressive 68 from 35 balls, containing four fours and five sixes.
Captain Richie Berrington cleared the rope four times in his 54 off 29 deliveries – his second-successive half-century – before Currie took centre stage as Scotland claimed a sixth win from six in this qualifying event.
