Stuart's 20/20 World Cup Series: 14 - Group Match Report 8

Game One: West Indies 173/5 v 39 all out Uganda - West Indies WIN
After a comfortablly poaced win in game one, West Indies decided to bring the heavy guns to bear against Uganda.

Batting was a steady affair with six batters getting into double figures, though only two got more than 30.

Then it was Uganda's turn to bat. They never got the chance. Wickets in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th overs had them five down before the end of the power play. Two more went down in the 7th and another in the eighth. Not losing any more until the 11th was almost respectable, but on the last ball of the 12th over it was done.

Juma Miyagi was the sole Ugandan to reach double figures.

Akeal Hosein became the second bowler to take five wickets in a match this tournament, and was the only West Indies bowler to go through the full four overs. The bowling squad will be relishing their next match against a New Zealand batting line up which looked quite so fragile in their first game.

Game Two: India 119 all out v 113/7 Pakistan - India WIN
Contrasting opening games set this match up even more than a meeting between these mighty cricketing neighbours could expect to be. Pakistan won the toss and, having learnt from the previous matches at this ground, invited India to bat.

Two wickets fell in the power play, which is about par, and with only three down going into the second half of the innings. So far so good, but the team who looked so assured batting in their first game stuttered horribly in their second. wickets in the 12th and 14th over were joined by wickets off consecutive balls at the start of the 15th, then another consecutive brace in the 18th. The final wicket fell to a run out and that symbolised the desperation of the latter part of India's batting display.

Over to Pakistan.

Like India they started solidly, even a little better. But, while the top five batsment all got to double figures, on Rizwan got past 15. Azam, Khan, and Zaman were all out for 13.

With wickets falling every two overs from the 11th on Pakistan were never able to get ahead of the low run rate required. By the start of the final over 18 were still required. Wasim was caught on the first ball and now it was 18 from 5. A boundary and a couple of runs took it to 12 from the last 2 balls and, when Naseem Shah reached down and swept towards the boundary Pakistan hearts hoped a miracle was on the cards, but the ball fell a few metres short and the four it did score was just not enough. A carefully bowled last ball gave India a win they rarely looked like achieving.

Game Three: Oman 150/7 v 153/3 Scotland - Scotland WIN
With Pakistan conspiring to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Scotland were free to enjoy their position as favorites in a game that could put them top of the table and, crucially, on as many points as England are capable of garnering.

Oman scoring their biggest total in the tournament was not part of the plan. A half century from Pratik Athavale anchored the innings and, coupled with Ayaan Khan's 41 not out, the total would have been enough to win most of the games in this tournament.

But while Scotland's bowling attack had an off day, their batting form has done well in two previous innings and proved to be more than capable here. All five batsmen on the scoresheet reached double figures. McMullen cam in third and played through to the end,scoring 61 from only 31 balls.

Next up is Australia. They will be a sterner test. However, for the conspiracy theorists amongst us, assuming Australia beat Namibia, they may be willing keep the runrate in their final game close to let Scotland take 2nd place in the group, and thus eliminate England.

That is speculation. What is not is that Oman are the first team to officially be eliminated from the competition. With one game left they can, at best, reach 2 points. Scotland and Australia are already beyond that.

Check back tomorrow for reviews & updated boundary totals.

text by stuartcturnbull. graphic by Mir Rammez Raja & edited by stuartcturnbull via postermywall