The Gods must have been looking down on the West Indies, as rain intervened to save the Caribbean side from the ignominy and jaws of defeat by an associate International Cricket Council (ICC) team, Scotland.
Using the Duckworth/Lewis method — reserved for deciding the victor, based on superior run-rate, when rain intervenes — the West Indies on Wednesday beat Scotland by 5 runs, in their do-or-die Super Six battle in the Qualifying Round in the ICC’s championship in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The West Indies will now play in the Sunday’s Super Six final and next year’s 50-Over World Cup in England.
The two best teams in the Qualifying Round play in the World Cup. The West Indies won the World Cup twice before.
Scotland, the defending ICC Qualifying Round winner, did well to restrict the West Indies to 198, built around solid knocks of 66 and 51 by Ewin Lewis and Marlon Samuels, respectively.
Chasing 199 for victory, Scotland were on 125-5 when rain intervened.
Scores: West Indies 198 (Lewis 66, Samuels 51, Sharif 3-27, Wheal 3-34); Scotland 125-5 in 35.2 overs (Berrington 33, Munsey 32*, Roach 2-20, Nurse 2-35).
