Bulawayo, Jun 27 (IANS): Sri Lanka were made to work hard for an 82-run win over previously unbeaten Scotland, making it four wins from four to top Group B in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023.

Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 245 but on a tricky surface, that proved more than enough as Maheesh Theekshana (3-41) did the damage with the ball -– Scotland getting bowled out in just 29 overs.That means Sri Lanka take four points through to the Super Six, with the Scots taking two as the race for qualification intensifies.

In the other match of the day, Ireland picked up their first win of the campaign with a 138-run success against the United Arab Emirates, with Paul Stirling hitting form with a blistering 162.

Sri Lankan bowlers step up

For the first time in this tournament, Dimuth Karunaratne failed to make a half-century, leaving it to others to step up in his place.

His opening partner Pathum Nissanka did just that, making 75 on a wicket at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo that provided plenty of assistance to the spinners.

And while 246 looked like a gettable target for the Scots, they never really threatened, and eventually bowled out for 163 in reply.

Chris Sole (2-46) struck early for Scotland, but Nissanka settled in for a fine knock before he was the first of Mark Watt’s (3-52) three victims.

The left-armer also removed Charith Asalanka (63), who had kept the scoreboard ticking over, first alongside Nissanka, and then once he had departed with the score on 142 for four.

Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva added 61 for the fifth wicket to take Sri Lanka to 203 for four before they lost three wickets for just four runs.

Chris Greaves (4-32) bowled Dhananjaya before having skipper Dasun Shanaka caught by Sole the next ball.

From there, Sri Lanka were in a battle simply to post a respectable total, with Wanindu Hasaranga (15) and Theekshana (16 not out) each providing handy contributions to take their side to 245.

With the spinners thriving, that was always going to be a challenging total for Scotland, and so it proved with Lahiru Kumara bowling Matthew Cross in the second over before the slow bowlers took over.

Theekshana confounded Brandon McMullen (5) and skipper Richie Berrington (10) before Kasun Rajitha served a reminder of what the quicks could do by pinning Tomas Mackintosh leg before for three.

Hasaranga ended Christopher McBride’s resistance on 29 and Shanaka then trapped Michael Leask for five with Scotland in all sorts of trouble at 74 for six.

That brought Greaves (56 not out) to the crease but while he tried to steady the ship, two more wickets in quick succession left Scotland eight down with just 100 on the board.

Greaves and Sole (17) added 55 for the ninth wicket but two run-outs saw their challenge come to an end with the final ball of the 29th over.

Stirling finds form for Ireland

After three defeats in as many games ended their hopes of reaching the Super Six, Ireland earned their first win with a brilliant batting display against the United Arab Emirates.

Paul Stirling was the standout performer, making 162 from just 134 deliveries, smashing 15 fours and eight sixes to set up a mammoth 349 for four from 50 overs.

He put on 184 with skipper Andy Balbirnie, who made a comparatively sedate 66 from 88 balls before he was caught behind off Ali Naseer to leave Ireland on 225 for two in the 39th over.

That brought Harry Tector to the crease and the run-rate ramped up as he and Stirling put on 57 in just 6.4 overs.

Sanchit Sharma (3-46), the pick of the UAE bowlers, finally removed Stirling with five overs remaining, but Tector started teeing off, eventually falling for a 33-ball 57 in the penultimate over.

The Netherlands showed on Monday that big chases are possible in Zimbabwe, and Muhammad Waseem looked to give the UAE the perfect start with a quickfire 45 from just 32 balls.

An opening partnership of 58 was broken when Waseem was run out, straying out of his crease after getting one on the gloves, with Balbirnie showing quick thinking to get him.

Aryansh Sharma (18) and Vriitya Aravind (10) then followed before Ethan D’Souza (3) became a second victim for Josh Little (2/30) to leave the UAE on 85 for four.

Basil Hameed hit three sixes on his way to a counter-attacking 39, adding 70 with Sanchit for the seventh wicket to get UAE to 179 for seven.

He was caught off the bowling of George Dockrell, while Curtis Campher ended Sanchit’s resistance on 44, trapping Junaid Siddique leg before in the same over.

It was left to Dockrell to complete the job, having Karthik Meiyappan caught for six as the UAE were bowled out for 211 with 11 overs still to bowl.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka 245 all out in 49.3 overs (Pathum Nissanka 75, Charith Asalanka 63; Chris Greaves 4-32, Mark Watt 3-52) defeated Scotland 163 all out in 29 overs (Chris Greaves 56*, Christopher McBride 29; Maheesh Theekshana 3-41; Wanindu Hasaranga 2-42) by 82 runs.

Ireland 349/4 in 50 overs (Paul Stirling 162, Andy Balbirnie 66, Harry Tector 57; Sanchit Sharma 3-46) defeated UAE 211 all out in 39 overs (Muhammad Waseem 45, Sanchit Sharma 44; Curtis Campher 2-14, Josh Little 2-30) by 138 runs.