Scots fail to find a winning climax

Scotland descended to a hugely disappointing and anti-climactic eight-wicket defeat against Holland, after mustering only 136 all out in their last World Cup Group A match at Warner Park.

A fixture billed as a private final between these two associate member teams never threatened as a worthwhile contest, after Billy Stelling took three for 12 in eight overs with the new ball.

Ryan ten Doeschate (70 not out) and Bas Zuiderent (43 not out) shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 102 to finish the match with almost 27 overs of their innings to spare as Holland beat Scotland for the first time in their past four attempts.

Scotland lurched to a debilitating 15 for four - having been put in following overnight rain - with Navdeep Poonia falling to Stelling from only the second ball of the day - edging behind a ball pitched just short of a good length which nipped away off the seam.

Stelling then made his triple strike removing Majid Haq and Gavin Hamilton before he trapped Dougie Brown's in front for a first-ball duck.

Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum, who was dropped by Daan van Bunge off Stelling, had much work to do to even hint at a recovery. They did so only until the number three crunched a straight drive back at Tim de Leede, who clung on to a memorable catch in his first over.

The Scottish wickets contniued to tumble before Glenn Rogers (26) emerged as an unlikely top-scorer in what amounted to little more than a token fightback in an innings which lasted only 34.1 overs.

Holland's reward for skittling Scotland out ahead of schedule was to have to start their innings twice - and in the 12 overs before a 40-minute lunch break, they reached 61 for two.

John Blain got rid of Darron Reekers - whose attempted hit over the top presented mid-off with a routine catch - and then had Eric Szarczynski mistiming a hit to leg for a gentle skier to wicketkeeper Smith.

Scotland did not have enough runs to play with, though, and ten Doeschate moved serenely to a 61-ball 50 which contained eight fours and a straight six off Rogers and left Zuiderent seven runs short of the same milestone.