After six months of anticipation, Scotland’s hopes of getting their T20 World Cup campaign off to a flier were undone not by England but by the British-style weather in Barbados. A contest expected to be played to the backdrop of unrelenting Caribbean sunshine instead unfolded in rather wetter and windier conditions, with the start of the game held up due to heavy showers that returned in more emphatic fashion to disrupt a promising start that had Scotland eyeing up a shock after reaching 51 for the loss of no wicket. With both openers, George Munsey and Michael Jones, looking strong, an extended break was the last thing Scotland needed in their Group B opener but, with no sign of the torrent abating, there was little anyone could do beyond sit around and wait for it to pass.
When it finally did, it meant a rain-reduced 10-over shoot-out. The delay could have knocked the Scots off their stride but they went on to clock up 90 without loss, posting a challenging, DLS-revised total of 109 for England to chase. Alas, the rain came back again and the covers duly followed and this time there would be no respite.
The match was abandoned, with Scotland left to wonder about what might have been given how impressively they had batted. The no-result does at least mean Doug Watson’s side chalk up a point to their tally ahead of their next match at the same venue against Namibia on Thursday. Fingers crossed the sun has returned by then.
“The chaps played really well,” said Watson,.
