Scotland's hopes of World Cup qualification suffered another setback with a second defeat in three days to United Arab Emirates in Sharjah yesterday, writes William Dick.
The Scots committed elementary errors with both bat and ball to allow their hosts to win by two wickets with a ball to spare.
They lost their way when batting, crawling to a disappointing 205-9 after a promising start, and then added a damaging 30 runs in extras to the UAE total.
Tony Judd, the assistant coach, admitted: "We are all extremely disappointed to lose a game which we had chances to win. We weren't good enough to cement these chances on the day.
"Having said that, the guys fought like hell to take the game into the final over but we were always up against it.
"Batting became more difficult as the day went on and the UAE have about six decent spinners but we should still have scored about 30 runs more. The extras hurt us because we ended up bowling 52 overs instead of 50, which is a big difference in such a tight game."
The Saltires looked on course to make amends for Wednesday's defeat when Kyle Coetzer hit 73 and Gordon Goudie a run-a-ball 45.
Fraser Watts chipped in with 32 and when the Carlton man was out, Scotland, at 141 for three from 30 overs, appeared to have laid the platform for a substantial total.
Instead, six of the middle and lower-order men were dismissed for single figures and Preston Mommsen failed to hit a single boundary as he finished unbeaten on 22 from 39 deliveries.
Defending such a modest total, Scotland needed their bowlers to make early inroads into an accomplished UAE batting line-up, but Goudie and Safyaan Sharif conceded as many extras in their opening two overs as the home bowlers had done in 50.
To their credit, the visitors fought back and pushed their rivals all the way. Goudie and Mommsen claimed two wickets apiece while Majid Haq produced a splendidly economical spell, yielding one for 26 from nine overs.
Scotland had given themselves too much to do, though, especially with Shaiman Anwar intent on steering his side home. He did so with a defiant unbeaten 77, finishing the contest with the last of his four boundaries.
Saltires are now behind both Ireland and UAE in the World Cricket League from which two teams will qualify for the 2015 World Cup. Judd and head coach Pete Steindl must lift the side for the launch of their T20 World Cup qualifying bid which starts against Kenya on Tuesday.
Josh Davey, the Middlesex all-rounder, has been ruled out of that campaign after a recurrence of a knee injury during the first match against UAE. A replacement will be named today and will join the squad in Dubai in time for Tuesday's opener against Kenya.
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