SCOTLAND emerged with credit, but not victory, from their opening YB40 fixture of the season against holders Hampshire yesterday.
Without the benefit of an overseas player, one of the most youthful Saltires sides of recent times went into this encounter as massive underdogs. However, they showed glimpses of genuine promise before going down by five wickets.
Defending 192, Scotland made an encouraging start when Calvin Burnett, returning to the side after a two-year absence, picked up his first wicket in Saltires colours.
England Lions opener Michael Carberry made a big 100 when the Scots visited the Ageas Bowl last season, but he had managed just four when Burnett found an edge and debutant Matthew Cross took the catch behind.
Better followed when James Vince slashed a delivery from Gordon Goudie into the slips, where Majid Haq took a one-handed catch.
The Scots' former team-mate , Australian George Bailey, stroked four boundaries on his way to 24. However, Gordon Drummond produced a magnificent delivery to remove Bailey's off-stump before a Matt Machan full toss found Sean Ervine lobbing a simple catch to Calum MacLeod.
At 78-4 the Saltires had Hampshire in a spot of bother but home skipper Jimmy Adams kept calm to put his side on course with a composed half-century.
Adams became Drummond's second victim, holing out to Moneeb Iqbal with Hampshire still 63 runs short of their target. However, that was as good as it got for the Scots as Liam Dawson (54no) and Adam Wheater (35no) guided their side home with 15 balls to spare.
Earlier, the Saltires batted superbly at the start and finish of their innings but paid the price for a flurry of soft mid-innings dismissals.
Freddie Coleman and MacLeod set the tone by racing to 37 in five overs. The inexperienced Coleman out-scored his more senior colleague with five attractive boundaries in a knock of great promise.
MacLeod was also in attacking mood but his improvisatory instincts proved his undoing when, having made 13, he attempted a scoop shot which presented Chris Wood with a simple catch and David Balcombe with the first of his two wickets.
The Uddingston player's dismissal sparked a mini-collapse and a damaging slowing of the scoring rate.
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