Scotland won by the bare minimum against Ireland in their ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier warm-up match on Tuesday after a courageous run chase saw the men in green just fall short.
Ireland lost by one run at Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi as David Delany was run out of the last ball when attempting to get back for two to force a tie.
After losing the toss, Ireland bowled first on what seemed a batting-friendly track.
The Scots top-order fired, and were 78-0 in the seventh over before the first wicket fell. The main damage was done by George Munsey, who hit 86 runs from 41 balls - an innings which included five sixes.
A quickfire 39 from 18 balls by Oli Hairs continued the momentum, but the middle-order succumbed to improved bowling, at one stage losing 5-47. Scotland's final total of 210-8 was
The Irish batters battled hard to build a competitive total against a determined Dutch attack, and ended up posting 156-8 from their 20 overs.
For Ireland, David Delany returned to the side after missing the Oman series with an impressive 3-35, while spinners George Dockrell (2-36) and Gareth Delany (1-33) helped pull the run rate back.
Ireland’s response did not start well, losing Kevin O’Brien first ball for a duck, but soon gathered momentum.
Led by Andy Balbirnie (70 from 48 balls), and supported by Gareth Delany (20 from nine balls), Harry Tector (22 from nine balls) and Gary Wilson (22 from 14 balls), the Irish batters kept pace with the run rate required into the middle-overs.
Momentum stalled just after the halfway mark of the run chase, and it took a powerful innings late on by Mark Adair (45 from 24 balls) to get Ireland within a single hit of an unlikely victory.
Needing three runs from two balls, Adair fell from the penultimate ball, while David Delany was run out of the final ball as he bust a lung in his efforts to get back for two.
Ireland’s 209-9 was an admirable chase, but agonisingly short, with Scotland prevailing by one run.
Ireland's T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
18 October: Ireland v Hong Kong, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
19 October: Ireland v UAE, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
21 October: Ireland v Oman, ADC 1, Abu Dhabi
23 October: Ireland v Canada, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
25 October: Ireland v Jersey, ADC 1, Abu Dhabi
26 October: Ireland v Nigeria, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
