- Scotland smash record 371 for 5 (MacLeod 140*)
- Mark Wood the final England wicket to fall
The top team in the world have lost to the team ranked 13th. And we’ve seen 737 runs in a day. Jonny Bairstow played a scintillating knock, but, to be ultra-critical, it was a baby hundred when a daddy was required. And Alex Hales compounded the problem by stage-managing two dismissals, his own and Joe Root’s. Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett very nearly turned it round, but the force was with Kyle Coetzer, the captain with a ridiculous number of bowling changes. He set the tone this morning with the bat, and somehow he got his team over the line in the field, helped by some canny bowling from Evans and Watt. It’s been a privilege to cover this. Thanks for your company.
The last word goes to Jamie Argent. “Does this mean we win the World Cup?” It’s not far off.
Edinburgh is rocking. There’s a crowd invasion, some bagpipes are playing, the players are exchanging hugs, and although England will be red-faced, they don’t seem to begrudge the Scots their triumph, which is right and proper. This is a famous, famous victory, and it makes a nonsense of Scotland’s absence from next year’s World Cup. Callum Macleod, Mark Watt and co. have written themselves into Scottish sporting history.
Wood is lbw Sharif, and Scotland beat England for the first time. They have thoroughly deserved it.
Mid-49th over: England 364-9 (Plunkett 46, Wood 1) Wood receives a gift from Sharif, on his legs, but can only tuck it for a single. England need eight from nine.
A review for run out against Rashid, as Plunkett calls for a tight two, and he’s gone! England need ten from 11. What a match.
48th over: England 361-8 (Plunkett 44, Rashid 5) These two batsmen share a dressing-room at Headingley and it shows as they scramble some quick singles. England need 11 from 12.
And here’s the trusty Starbuck. “Answering Brian Withington’s question [46th over]: Ball probably trumps Plunkett, though not so euphonious.” Hmmm. It does if we’re playing nominative determinism, but I thought we were playing onomatopoeia?
47th over: England 356-8 (Plunkett 41, Rashid 3) Sharif bamboozles Rashid with a slower ball, a leg-cutter at 64mph, but strays on to Plunkett’s legs and gives him a comfy four. Sharif recovers with a fine yorker, swinging in, but Plunkett, seeing it big now, digs it out for a single to long-off. England are favourites again, just.
46th over: England 348-8 (Plunkett 35, Rashid 1) Just when I’m thinking Scotland should have a Test-match field here, they take a much-needed wicket by sticking to the one-day way. Moeen, usually such a good timer of the ball, found the bottom of the bat that time. Watt finishes with 3-55, and he’s only 21, although he looks older. And bowls older. England need a run a ball.
“Is Plunkett,” wonders Withington, “the most onomatopoeic English cricketer in recent memory?”
Just when it was looking easy again for England, Moeen makes a game of it by chipping to long-on.
45th over: England 346-7 (Ali 46, Plunkett 34) Moeen at his best: a front-foot pull for four, first ball of the over, followed by a lofted off-drive for six that threatens to take the word languid away from David Gower for evermore. Plunkett, taking the hint, thwacks a six of his own, not languid at all, but bottom-handed and straight back past the bowler. And there’s a missed stumping as Cross goes up for a catch behind. Eighteen from the over, which tips the scales in England’s favour. They need 26 off five.
44th over: England 328-7 (Ali 35, Plunkett 27) Moeen capitalises on Plunkett’s six with a crunching four off Watt’s first ball, slammed through extra cover. The 50 partnership comes up, off 43 balls: it’s been just what England needed. They now require 44 from the last 36 balls.
43rd over: England 321-7 (Ali 29, Plunkett 26) Sharif replaces Sole in the 536th bowling change of the innings. It goes well at first, but then Liam Plunkett spots a half-tracker and pulls it for six. What a temperament he’s got.
42nd over: England 312-7 (Ali 27, Plunkett 19) Coetzer, still mixing things up, summons Watt, who bowls a full length and concedes only four singles. Scotland’s finest hour is still beckoning to them.
41st over: England 308-7 (Ali 25, Plunkett 17) Plunkett flashes hard at a short one from Sole and gets four to third man. England need 64 off nine, so the rate remains reasonable. “Just get the feeling they’re ready to party,” says Ian Ward, as the camera picks out some particularly impassive spectators. To my eye, they look equally ready to go to evensong.
40th over: England 300-7 (Ali 24, Plunkett 11) Moeen gets a wide full toss from Sharif and bisects the two men at backward point. These two have added 24 off 21, much better than the Ali-Billings partnership (18 off 24).
Brian Withington is back, with a tinge of regret. “Not so much a frolicking formality, more like a fumbling fiasco. Pass the humble pie and haggis ... in Plunkett we trust.”
39th over: England 292-7 (Ali 18, Plunkett 9) Chris Sole is back, and almost in business first ball as Plunkett offers a thick snick and Matt Cross can’t quite get there with his dive. It would be worth having a slip in just to save runs like that, which can be so demoralising. Plunkett has now faced 12 balls in this innings, four times as many as he faced in this year’s IPL.
An email from Robin Hazlehurst. “Scotland beat England at rugby this year for the first time in a while, now they’re doing at cricket. This is starting to look like a pattern. We’re not playing them at football or tiddlywinks or anything anytime soon are we?”
38th over: England 286-7 (Ali 18, Plunkett 3) Moeen, who is nothing is not unflappable, hits a languid six over extra cover – and is well caught by the man in the lilac shirt in hospitality. His sunglasses don’t even fall off the top of his head.
37th over: England 277-7 (Ali 11, Plunkett 1) Willey plays a creamy off-push for four and a spanking pull for two, only to toe-end another pull. The Scots have done so well to drag themselves back into this.
Another one! Willey, after starting superbly, nicks an attempted pull. Scotland are now firm favourites.
36th over: England 270-6 (Ali 11, Willey 1) Moeen is shaping to play the anchor when he sees a half-volleyand chips it over square leg. That’s gone into the fish-and-chip van and out again.England still need 102.
Another full toss, and Billings clips it straight to midwicket, where Coetzer takes another sharp catch. Scotland are probably favourites now.
35th over: England 263-5 (Billings 12, Ali 5) Desperate for a four, England get one as Evans tries a yorker to Billings which comes out as a juicy full toss. Seven from the over, England’s best since Morgan departed.
And Guy Hornsby is back to continue his bromance with John Starbuck. “That’s a good shout Mr Starbuck. We must get half a point for Federer, surely @TimdeLisle, given how good he looks in whites (but let’s forget that blazer nonsense, eh).”
34th over: England 256-5 (Billings 6, Ali 4) England need a boundary or two, and Scotland are not in a mood to oblige. That’s drinks, with the scales almost even.
33rd over: England 251-5 (Billings 3, Ali 2) Moeen plays another of his sleepy wafts at thin air, when he needs to switch on and play the Buttler. The required rate has sneaked up to seven. England are unlikely to run out of overs, thanks to Bairstow’s fireworks, but they could well run out of wickets.
32nd over: England 247-5 (Billings 1, Ali 1) Moeen, feeling the hot breath of the keeper down his neck, opens with a play-and-a-miss at Berrington. Moeen is in form, but Billings is not. And England’s top order have just given three wickets away. This could go to the wire now.
When we find ourselves in times of trouble, we reach for football references. “Cricket,” says Brian Withington, “bloody hell.”
It is game on! Hales, needing to see England through after running Root out, slaps the very next ball to backward point. Goliath is reeling.
31st over: England 245-3 (Hales 52, Billings 0) Testing stuff from Alasdair Evans, conceding only three and then taking the wicket. He has a very respectable 5-1-32-1. In other news, Rafael Nadal has won his 11th French Open. Can’t they just give it to him for good now?
The short ball, which should be cannon fodder, surprises Morgan, who chips a catch to his opposite number, diving to his right at midwicket. That’s not game on, is it...?
30th over: England 243-3 (Hales 51, Morgan 19) Berrington’s over goes for only five, a little triumph. Apparently Nasser is being teased on Twitter about his pronunciation of Edinburgh. Bumble teases him some more by saying he is pronouncing it Ednbruh, when it should, of course, be Ednbruh.
29th over: England 238-3 (Hales 50, Morgan 15) Hales goes to a rather sheepish fifty, and the camera homes in on Root in the England tent, hoping for a scowl – but finding only a brisk round of applause. Morgan swings a six over midwicket. He has 15 off seven.
Here’s Brian Withington. “Why indeed?” says his subject line, picking up on Root’s parting shot. ““Am I alone in thinking that Alex Hales called the Test captain for a doomed single like a man who has retired from the red ball team?”
28th over: England 228-3 (Hales 48, Morgan 7) Eoin Morgan, always confident, always trusting in himself and his men, comes in and guides a half-volley from Sharif through the covers for four. The required rate is six and a half, and Morgan has seen that several hundred times. But still, Scotland have a sliver of a chance.
27th over: England 220-3 (Hales 47, Morgan 0) Leask is back, brave man. Root sweeps for four, then slog-sweeps for six, then perishes at the hands of his partner, who calls for an unnecessary single when he (Root) was pinned in his crease.
John Starbuck, who doesn’t miss much, has spotted Guy Hornsby’s question from the 22nd over. “Tim (not Tom, curse you autocorrect), in answer to Guy Hornsby’s question if the Greatest ever played cricket?
Joe Root is sawn off by Hales! He doesn’t wait for the third umpire’s decision, and goes off mouthing “Why?” Good for the game though...
26th over: England 209-2 (Hales 46, Root 19) Like a grandfather surrounded by small children, cricket can go to sleep in any conditions. And you can always feel it, even when you’re 300 miles away. The last five overs have gone for only 26. Come on Halesy, time to go mental.
25th over: England 206-2 (Hales 44, Root 18) Watt pins Hales on his pad, the verdict is not out, and Scotland think long and hard about a review – so long that the review is disallowed. It would have been out! Apparently Kyle Coetzer took 19 seconds, rather than the allotted 15, but still, you’ve got to feel for him. It’s an unfunny game sometimes.
24th over: England 204-2 (Hales 43, Root 17) Sharif returns, sticks one down leg side, and appeals for caught behind against Hales in a bid to distract the umpire, which fails. Just when it seems as if England are going easy on their hosts, Hales comes up with a thump for six over mid-of, to bring up the 200.
23rd over: England 194-2 (Hales 35, Root 16) Coetzer brings back Watt and even hands him a slip, but Watt drifts one on with the arm and Root helps himself to a lap for four like a well-travelled businenessman at the breakfast buffet. Still, Watt is now the first Scot to concede fewer than seven an over – and only Moeen managed it for England.
22nd over: England 189-2 (Hales 35, Root 11) The Scots keeper, Matt Cross, is standing up to Berrington’s seamers, and it almost pays off as Root survives an appeal for a stumping. Then Berrington offers Hales a long hop outside off, which is smacked for four.
“In response to John Starbuck,” says Guy Hornsby, referring to 15:11, which seems several weeks ago now, “I’m aware of racing’s epithet but as I know nothing about it, and worship at the supreme willow and leather altar of glory/disappointment, I’m justifying claiming it from the turf. Does anyone know if The Greatest played cricket?”
21st over: England 183-2 (Hales 31, Root 10) Sole tries a bouncer to Hales, which induces an imperious pull and an entertaining throwback as Nasser Hussain slips back into his martinet-at-mid-off mode: “No! Not there! Not on this pitch!” Sole now knows how a whole generation of England bowlers felt.
20th over: England 176-2 (Hales 26, Root 8) The batsmen milk Berrington’s medium pace, and the target is below 200 now.It should be a walk in The Grange, but you never know.Scotland’s most economical bowlers, Sharif and Watt, have gone for seven an over.
19th over: England 171-2 (Hales 24, Root 5) So who would you like to see coming in once you’ve removed both openers? Ah yes, England’s most elegant and consistent batsman in decades. Joe Root gets off the mark with a dreamy glide for four off poor old Sole.
18th over: England 165-2 (Hales 23, Root 0) So Bairstow departs, after going down a gear from his peak of 84 off 39 – his last 21 runs occupied 20 balls, which, on this surface, is frankly rather sluggish. A pat on the back too for Kyle Coetzer, whose policy of changing the bowling every two minutes finally paid off. And that’s drinks. Irn-Bru all round, I take it.
And Brian Withington is back for more. “Whilst my par score calculator recovers in the freezer, and at the risk of an excess of hubris inducing presumption, would this be the first time that a 372 run chase could be described as a frolicking formality?” Either that, or the collapse is on.
That’s the one Scotland wanted. Bairstow looks to loft another six over mid-off and mistimes it, giving Munsey plenty of time to think about how embarrassing it would be to drop him – and he doesn’t. Well caught, well bowled, and very well batted.
17th over: England 159-1 (Bairstow 101, Hales 21) Back comes Chris Sole, and it all goes even more horribly wrong. Hales, who has been biding his time, decides it’s time to pepper the crowd, and hits two sixes. Here comes yet another bowling change, the seventh.
16th over: England 141-1 (Bairstow 100, Hales 4) Evans, building on his maiden, concedes a string of singles, but can’t stop Bairstow clipping to midwicket to reach a fabulous hundred. He has gone at a personal tempo of six an over: if he keeps it up all the way to the target, he will get about 265.
And it’s a record-breaker, not quite for speed (54 balls), but because it’s Jonny Bairstow’s third in a row, the first time that has been done for England. Imagine what he’d be like in Tests if he didn’t have to keep wicket.
15th over: England 136-1 (Bairstow 98, Hales 1) Bored of blasting it, Bairstow subjects Watt to the finest of paddles for four. Undaunted, Watt has a good shout for LBW as Bairstow sweeps and misses; Scotland might have reviewed if they had more than one card to play with, but it was just sliding down, according to Hawkeye. Bairstow then slogs a couple, not far from the man at midwicket. He’s only human after all.
14th over: England 130-1 (Bairstow 92, Hales 1) Evans manages a few dots, gold dust on a day like this, then beats Hales outside off and completes a maiden over.
Give him the Man of the Match award now.
“Now that 10 overs have passed,” says Brian Withington, “I find that my par score calculator has melted in the presence of the Bairstow barrage. Good job Jos Buttler has been rested.”
13th over: England 130-1 (Bairstow 92, Hales 1) Coetzer does another U-turn, heading back to Watt, who manages to get the ball past Bairstow’s bat and lodge an LBW appeal (going down), before removing Roy with a very KP-ish dismissal. Buttler’s record is safe, as Bairstow has now faced 45 balls, and even he is unlikely to hit an eight.
Ah, well played Mark Watt. He gets the ball to stick in this true surface and Roy pops a simple catch back to him.
12th over: England 128-0 (Roy 34, Bairstow 91) Roy picks up a two and a one, then Bairstow swats a short one for six, very nearly into the confectionery stall and out again. Happily Mike Atherton, the closest thing to Benaud these days, is on duty, so he utters these very words. England now have a third of the runs in a quarter of the overs. Early finish, anyone?
11th over: England 118-0 (Roy 31, Bairstow 84) Richie Berrington comes on, so instead of spin from both ends, it’s now military medium from both ends. I’m not sure that’s wise, although you can’t blame Coetzer for panicking – this is, as Woody says in Toy Story, the perfect time to panic. Bairstow adds two fours to his collection with a sweep and a biff. The record for England’s fastest hundred is held by the absent Jos Buttler, with 46 balls, so Bairstow needs 16 off six to beat it.
10th over: England 107-0 (Roy 29, Bairstow 75) The beleaguered Coetzer turns to Alasdair Evans, but the result is the same: Bairstow blitzes 6-4-4 off successive balls, to cruise to 75 off 35. He’s making Roy look like Chris Tavare. The definition of courage in cricket is now a Scotsman doing stretches to catch the captain’s eye.
9th over: England 92-0 (Roy 28, Bairstow 61) Poor old Leask is leaking runs as Bairstow goes ballistic: the over goes for 25 – and we go ball-by-ball, 466.3w6. The second six gives Bairstow fifty off 27 balls, the sixth-fastest by an England player in 47 years of one-day internationals. He may get to a hundred in about five minutes.
8th over: England 67-0 (Roy 28, Bairstow 39) Bairstow almost gives a chance off Watt, flapping into the covers, but instantly reasserts himself with a lofted off drive for the first six of the innings.
7th over: England 55-0 (Roy 27, Bairstow 28) Spin from both ends!Michael Leask comes on with his offbreaks and concedes only aingles, which constitutes a triumph today.
And look who’s here. I wonder if he was consulted on the Stones’ latest piece of merchandise, a Gray Nicolls bat with a tongue logo, yours for just £999.
6th over: England 51-0 (Roy 25, Bairstow 26) Coetzer, in a tight corner, turns to spin – slow left-arm from Mark Watt. Roy, unperturbed, cuts for three, with a hand from a misfield. Bairstow trots down the track and lofts four over extra cover, even though he didn’t quite get there.
5th over: England 43-0 (Roy 22, Bairstow 21) Bairstow goes forward to punch through the covers, then rocks back to late-cut past third man. He’s only faced 13 balls, and his eye is right in.
Here’s Brian Withington, striking a note of caution. “They say you don’t know the par score until the second team have faced ten overs or so. One thing I would venture at this stage is that the Grange groundsperson knows how to prepare a decent firm surface with consistent bounce. Any chance he (or she) might venture south and show a few others how it’s done?”
4th over: England 32-0 (Roy 20, Bairstow 12) Bairstow, facing Sole, offers a catchable edge to the slips, but there aren’t any. Kyle Coetzer, who set the tone so well with the bat, has been a bit anxious with his fields, fiddling when he could be showing faith in his bowlers. Roy cashes in with a comfy cover drive for four, and Bairstow adds a blazing square drive for four more. England are on top, but there’s a long way to go.
3rd over: England 22-0 (Roy 15, Bairstow 7) Bairstow comes to the party with an upright guide through the covers for four more. The pitch is so true, it could be a story by Carole Cadwalladr.
“Is it foolish,” asks Andrew Benton, “to liken today’s game to battles past? Will it be a Bannockburn, or a Flodden? And where are the French? (their coach, it says on the net, is a Tim de Leede...)” Ah yes, Tim Nice But Good at Cricket.
2nd over: England 15-0 (Roy 13, Bairstow 2) Chris Sole takes the new ball, and “he looks an athlete,” says Bumble. But he strays towards the pads, so Roy helps himself to two twos and two fours, the second a rasping pull. His timing is in good working order, and they are up with the required rate.
“Rob,” says Michael Keane. I’ve had worse. “Anyone who knows royal history knows that the actual Sport of Kings is real tennis. Henry VIII played while one of his wives was beheaded...2 french kings died on court...there are courts at Hampton Court Palace, Falkland Palace, Fontainebleau and of course Lord’s. Oh, and the, um, Queens Club.
1st over: England 3-0 (Roy 1, Bairstow 2) Jason Roy is already living dangerously, flapping Saatyan Sharif’s second ball just short of backward point. Jonny Bairstow survives a half-hearted appeal for caught down the leg side, then picks up a hard-run two with a push into a mysteriously empty leg side. Just 369 more to get.
The players are coming out, to be greeted by a ripple of hubbub.The crowd can sniff history: can Davey beat Goliath? One thing in Scotland’s favour is that the man best equipped to see England over the line, Jos Buttler, isn’t here.
“Well,” says William Hargreaves, “I think we should just take the ball away and be done with it. If they can’t play our sport properly, then it’s a poor show. Fancy spoiling it like that.”
Afternoon everyone and thanks Rob. This game couldn’t be better set up: it’s either going to be a famous victory or a fabulous run chase. Either way, there will be plenty of exclamation marks.
The only thing missing is an email from John Starbuck. And here he comes,. off his long run. “Tom,” he begins, a little unpromisingly. “Re Guy Hornsby’s claim (over 47) that cricket is the Sport of Kings, this isn’t quite right. The Sport of Kings is generally acknowledged to be horse-racing. Cricket is the Greatest Game; football is the Beautiful Game; tennis is Anyone’s Game; boxing is the Noble Art; rugby is for hooligans and darts is just Arrers.”
I’m going for a walk to try to make sense of what we’ve just seen. Tim de Lisle will talk you through England’s run-chase - you can email him here. Bye!
Calum MacLeod ends the innings on 140 not out from 96 balls, a staggering innings that has given Scotland a chance of an even more staggering victory. If England reach their target of 372, it will equal the second-highest runchase in ODI history. Astonishing stuff.
50th over: Scotland 371-5 (MacLeod 140, Leask 10) Hahahaha. Michael Leask walks to the crease and waves his first ball nonchalantly over long off! Whatever happens in the second innings, Scotland fans will be talking about this batting performance forever. They have pulverised the No1 team in the world. England need 372 to win.
Budge is cleaned up by a terrific full-length delivery from Wood. Five deliveries to go.
49th over: Scotland 360-4 (MacLeod 140, Budge 11) The penultimate over, bowled by Plunkett, disappears for 18. MacLeod hits consecutive boundaries, a roundhouse pull followed by an improvised clip over short fine leg, and then Budge dumps a short ball to cow corner. This is preposterous stuff!
48th over: Scotland 342-4 (MacLeod 127, Budge 6) A short ball from Wood is pinged sweetly into the crowd by MacLeod, his third six. Nine from the over, and this is now Scotland’s record ODI total.
47th over: Scotland 333-4 (MacLeod 119, Budge 5) Willey has bowled well at the death, using the wide yorker effectively, and his last over costs only six. He ends with figures of 10-0-72-0.
“I feel Simon McMahon’s pain at the denial of a deserved World Cup place for Scotland,” says Brian Withington. “As for travel problems, what would have been wrong with dusting off the old 1978 submarine charter plan and arriving up the Thames in style for an amphibious assault on the Oval or Lord’s?”
46th over: Scotland 327-4 (MacLeod 115, Budge 3) MacLeod hoicks Rashid for another boundary, this time to cow corner. The new batsman Budge - who scored 600 runs in a week at the end of May - is sensibly giving him the strike at every opportunity.
“Well, this is a rum do, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “This England team is hardly a bunch of dirt-trackers, and the Scotland team neither a side of superstars, but then isn’t this why cricket is the sport of kings? (Or at least mild alcoholics.) Surely this impending and unlikely shock victory is the Auld Enemy’s perfect way to puncture English self-confidence just as we embark on our glorious world soccer champion cup tour in the USSR?”
45th over: Scotland 318-4 (MacLeod 109, Budge 0) Willey is bowling wide yorkers to the right-handers. MacLeod reaches a long way outside off stump to slice one delivery over third man for four and then walks across to clout the ball over square leg. Willey responds well with three consecutive dot balls.
44th over: Scotland 310-4 (MacLeod 101, Budge 0) Calum MacLeod becomes the first Scotland player to score an ODI hundred against England! He reached three figures by working Rashid to leg for two. It’s been a spectacular innings, made from just 70 balls, and it’s his seventh hundred in ODIs. His celebration is modest, even muted, which is a surprise because that might be the innings of his life.
“Just to remind you that ‘England’s world record’ in ODI’s isn’t under threat,” says Ruth Ramsden. “New Zealand women currently hold the honour over 50 overs - 490. Good luck Scotland getting past that!”
Munsey works Rashid for two to reach a punishing half-century from 49 balls, his first in ODIs, and rewards himself with yet another lofted reverse sweep for four. The next delivery is his last, a top-edged slog sweep that is taken by Wood at short fine leg.
43rd over: Scotland 300-3 (MacLeod 97, Munsey 49) Willey, who took some tap earlier in the day, returns with a good over – five singles from it.
“I know I said I was over it, but WHY AREN’T SCOTLAND AT THE WORLD CUP???!!!” weeps Simon McMahon. “Ach well, It’s not as if any of their fans could get to the host country easily, I suppose.”
42nd over: Scotland 295-3 (MacLeod 94, Munsey 47) Rashid returns to the attack. He has three overs remaining and England really need him to take a wicket or three in that time. MacLeod drags a very slow delivery - 38mph - through midwicket for four and slog-sweeps six to move into the nineties! What an innings this is: 94 from 64 balls!
41st over: Scotland 281-3 (MacLeod 82, Munsey 45) A short ball from Plunkett is pulled mightily for six by Munsey. Pick that out! Fifteen from the over. This is an outrageous performance from Scotland, who are hurtling towards their highest ODI score. Their best at the moment is 341 for nine against Canada in 2014. More importantly, they have a real chance of an astonishing victory.
40th over: Scotland 266-3 (MacLeod 78, Munsey 38) Wood ruins a good over with a poor last delivery that is clipped for four by MacLeod. Scotland have an unbelievable platform for the last 10 overs.
39th over: Scotland 258-3 (MacLeod 73, Munsey 36) England need a wicket to slow Scotland down going into the death overs. Instead, Munsey muscles Plunkett over wide mid-on for four, another emphatic stroke. This has been such a thrilling batting performance from Scotland: in 39 overs we’ve had 34 fours and four sixes.
38th over: Scotland 250-3 (MacLeod 70, Munsey 31) As Mike Atherton says on Sky, Rashid’s last three overs are key here. If Scotland get after him, England could be in serious trouble.
“Where’s Buttler?” asks Robin Bextor. He’s been rested for this game.
37th over: Scotland 245-3 (MacLeod 67, Munsey 28) Another reverse sweep for four from Munsey, and Moeen ends with figures of 10-0-66-0. England look resigned to chasing in excess of 350+.
36th over: Scotland 237-3 (MacLeod 66, Munsey 22) Mark Wood is back, and the extra pace allows MacLeod to ping a cut to the fence. Munsey helps another boundary to fine leg. England are being smashed all round the park!
35th over: Scotland 227-3 (MacLeod 61, Munsey 17) A good over from Moeen; two from it. Scotland need 115 from the last 15 overs to make their highest ever ODI score.
34th over: Scotland 225-3 (MacLeod 60, Munsey 16) Oof. Munsey thumps Plunkett contemptuously over mid-off for a one-bounce four. England are in a bit of trouble here. The pitch and the short boundaries are in their favour, and in that sense even 350 should not worry them. But the mind can do funny things when defeat is unthinkable.
33rd over: Scotland 218-3 (MacLeod 59, Munsey 11) For the second time in as many overs, Munsey reverse sweeps Moeen over backward point for four. This is now Scotland’s highest score against England. Is something brilliant happening?
32nd over: Scotland 211-3 (MacLeod 57, Munsey 6) MacLeod gets up on his toes to back cut Plunkett for four, another extremely good stroke.
“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “Going round the Grange’ is a snappy phrase, and one you should keep in reserve for future cases of a bowler’s efforts being smashed about.”
31st over: Scotland 205-3 (MacLeod 52, Munsey 5) The new batsman is the left-handed George Munsey, and <kidstoday> he gets off the mark with a jaunty reverse sweep for four </kidstoday>.
“They say when you’ve got wickets in hand you should double your score at 30 overs,” says Habit Butt. “We’re midway through the 30th over and Scotland are 200 with wickets in hand so they are on course for 400 plus. England’s world record is at risk isn’t it?”
30th over: Scotland 200-2 (MacLeod 52, Munsey 0) “The question about the England batsman with three 150+ scores in ODIs - is the answer something brilliant like Ronnie Irani?” says Eamonn Maloney. “If not, can you devise a question (perhaps using some sort of Jeopardy-style reverse function on statsguru) to which the answer is, brilliantly, Ronnie Irani?”
Sadly, I already know the question: when England left Robin Smith out of the Test team for the final time in 1996, who replaced him?
Plunkett returns to the attack and takes his second wicket. Berrington drove high towards long off, where Root took a calm running catch.
29th over: Scotland 196-2 (MacLeod 53, Berrington 34) MacLeod dances down to chip Moeen over midwicket for a one-bounce four – and then brings up a sizzling 36-ball fifty with a fast-handed sweep for six! Never mind 300, Scotland should be eyeing their highest ODI title: 341 for nine against Canada in 2014. This is getting serious for England, who have been unusually sluggish all day.
28th over: Scotland 183-2 (MacLeod 41, Berrington 33) MacLeod spanks Willey through the covers for four more. The absence of Ben Stokes means England only have five bowlers plus Joe Root. I would get Root on here because Willey is going round the Grange.
27th over: Scotland 176-2 (MacLeod 36, Berrington 32) Berrington charges Moeen and belts him straight for a one-bounce four. That’s a cracking stroke. Scotland have been really impressive and should make at least 300. Something might be happening here.
26th over: Scotland 167-2 (MacLeod 35, Berrington 24) Scotland have targeted Willey with great success. His six overs have gone from 48, including eight from that last one. Berrington hit his first four, a classy drive down the ground.
“I have a few reservations about the England bowling line-up in general and was a bit surprised by Morgan’s comment that we don’t need Archer as there’s a long queue of bowlers fighting for selection,” says Tom van der Gucht. “However, I’m not so sure. Our trump card in one-day cricket is a batting unit that feels confident at chasing down any total, but we could do with a couple more wicket-taking options to reduce some of those big targets in the first place. Ball just seems to remain a bit fast-medium right arm and doesn’t seem to threaten, or offer, as much as a genuine quick.”
25th over: Scotland 160-2 (MacLeod 34, Berrington 18) MacLeod, who looks in excellent touch, sweeps Moeen for consecutive boundaries – and it would have been three but for some brilliant fielding by Willey. MacLeod is a dangerous player, with three ODI scores in excess of 150. Not many players have managed that.
Actually, here’s a quiz question: who is the only England batsman with three ODI scores of 150+?
24th over: Scotland 148-2 (MacLeod 23, Berrington 17) David Willey replaces the excellent Rashid (7-0-39-1), who has three overs left to bowl later in the innings. Five from an entirely forgettable over.
23rd over: Scotland 143-2 (MacLeod 21, Berrington 14) Berrington is struggling to keep pace with the other batsmen, despite that six off Rashid. A single off Moeen’s fifth ball takes him to 15 from 30 deliveries. Everyone else has scored at more than a run a ball.
22nd over: Scotland 141-2 (MacLeod 20, Berrington 14) A low full toss from Rashid is swept for four by MacLeod, who has quietly moved to 20 from 19 balls. Scotland are still on course for 300. MacLeod survives an optimistic LBW appeal from a googly later in the over.
21st over: Scotland 131-2 (MacLeod 10, Berrington 13) Moeen’s second over is milked for five. What more is there to say?
20th over: Scotland 126-2 (MacLeod 8, Berrington 11) Berrington, with the minimum of fuss, dumps Rashid’s first ball over long-on for six. That’s followed by five dot balls, with Rashid demonstrating all his variations. He’s bowled a lot of googlies today.
19th over: Scotland 120-2 (MacLeod 8, Berrington 5) Moeen Ali comes on to replace Plunkett (4-0-29-1). He’s out of the Test team but is an almost irreplaceable member of the ODI side. He has an unsuccessful LBW against MacLeod, who is hit in the stomach when he misses a sweep; he was outside the line of off stump. England have frittered their review anyway. Four runs from the over.
18th over: Scotland 116-2 (MacLeod 6, Berrington 3) Berrington is dropped off Rashid, a really sharp low chance to Root at slip. It was another good delivery from Rashid, a googly that took the edge of Berrington’s attempted drive.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “As a follower and supporter of the England cricket team for over 30 years now, I’ve got mixed feelings today. What’s wrong with me, it’s Scotland v England for goodness sake!! It should be simple, but cricket’s never that, is it? Can it be a tie? And though I’m over the West Indies heartache, imagine if this was in the World Cup...”
17th over: Scotland 112-2 (MacLeod 4, Berrington 1) It’s much more sedate now, as you’d expect with two new batsmen at the crease, and Plunkett gets through an over that costs just four.
“It was hard to miss S Sub’s Brexit comments!” says Tom Bowtell. “Of course I disagree with his position, but I also find it refreshing for a sportsman to share something other than beige platitudes with the world. For me, he’s the definition of a mystery spinner and we need him to play.”
16th over: Scotland 108-2 (MacLeod 1, Berrington 0) That was almost a third wicket. MacLeod took a nervous single to Bairstow at mid-on and would have been short with a direct hit. Another good over from Rashid, who has changed the mood of this match; he is a serious one-day bowler now.
15th over: Scotland 107-2 (MacLeod 0, Berrington 0) That was the last ball of the over. I wouldn’t say are back in the game, as they were never exactly out of it, but those two wickets are very welcome.
Another one gone. Cross tries to glide Plunkett through the vacant slip area but gets it too fine and Billings moved smartly to his right to take a good catch. Cross played some beautiful strokes in his 39-ball 49.
14th over: Scotland 103-1 (Cross 44, MacLeod 0) “Glancing at the team on the Guardian scorecard, I see that after all the press furore, S Sub wasn’t picked for his debut after all,” laments Tom Bowtell. “Really hope that as a left arm-wrist spinner and right handed scoop specialist batsman they blood him sooner rather than later. Do you think he has what it takes?”
I think he’s got the talent but I’m worried about his character. Did you see his tweets about Brexit?
Boy did England need that wicket. Two balls after being launched miles over long off for six by Coetzer, Rashid skidded one through to hit the pad in front of off and middle. He went up for LBW, though it turned out Coetzer was caught behind after an inside edge onto pad. Either way it ends a spectacular tone-setting innings: 58 from 49 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
13th over: Scotland 97-0 (Cross 44, Coetzer 52) A bit of width from Plunkett allows Coetzer to drive superbly between extra cover and mid off for four. The pitch is flat, it’s true, but Cross and Coetzer have played some glorious strokes. And there’s another! Coetzer launches Plunkett over long-off for six to bring up a quite brilliant fifty from just 44 balls. Another high-class cover drive from Cross makes it 15 from the over. This is great stuff.
“I hope we didn’t pick Willey (who has been disappointing for a while now) on the back of his recent ton,” says Robert Taylor. “With Stokes out of the team we’re already a bowler light and we don’t want to have to rely on Root to bowl a few. Maybe Ball would have been a better shout?”
12th over: Scotland 82-0 (Cross 40, Coetzer 41) For the first time in a while, England get through an over without conceding a boundary. Rashid already looks like a key man today.
“I can see why England chose to bowl in this game - they like chasing a target - but it’s asking a lot of Bairstow to keep all of one innings then open the next,” says John Starbuck. “Does this never enter into consideration?”
11th over: Scotland 76-0 (Cross 38, Coetzer 37) Liam Plunkett, England’s middle-overs enforcer, comes into the attack. England need him to restore some order – but Scotland get their one boundary for the over when Coetzer slices high over backward point. England won’t be panicking yet.
10th over: Scotland 70-0 (Cross 37, Coetzer 32) In fact, Adil Rashid is coming on for the last over of the Powerplay. He has a big LBW appeal against Cross first ball – it’s turned down by Marais Erasmus but England decide to review. It was a googly from Rashid which seemed to be turning past leg stump. Replays confirm that was indeed the case, so England lose their only review. That, as Ian Ward says on Sky, was a bit of a desperate review from England.
After a couple of nervous prods, Cross sweeps firmly round the corner for yet another boundary. He has 37 from 28 balls and has played beautifully.
9th over: Scotland 64-0 (Cross 32, Coetzer 31) Coetzer gets his fifth boundary, and the 12th of the innings, with a majestic back-foot drive off Wood. A swipe over mid-on goes for four more, and England look pretty clueless at the moment. I’m sure we’ll see some spin once the Powerplay has finished.
8th over: Scotland 56-0 (Cross 32, Coetzer 23) Willey is mowed over midwicket for four by Coetzer. When the ball doesn’t swing he looks fairly ordinary, certainly in comparison to Chris Woakes, and Cross puts him away for three consecutive boundaries later in the over to take Scotland past fifty. A steer to third man was followed by a withering pull round the corner and a lovely push-drive through extra cover. Willey’s four overs have disappeared for 36.
7th over: Scotland 39-0 (Cross 20, Coetzer 18) A short ball from Wood is back cut to the short boundary by Cross, another accomplished shot. They have batted excellently on what looks a belting pitch.
6th over: Scotland 35-0 (Cross 16, Coetzer 18) Scotland will be looking for a big total on this pitch, maybe 300. Coetzer continues their fine start with a muscular drive over mid-off for four off Willey. The ball is making a beautiful sound of the bat this morning – almost as good as this.
5th over: Scotland 31-0 (Cross 16, Coetzer 14) For somebody who feels integral to this team, Wood has a surprisingly mediocre ODI record: 27 wickets at 46 apiece. He almost gets his 28th wicket when Cross, beaten for pace, top-edges a hook that just beats the man running back from square leg.
4th over: Scotland 28-0 (Cross 14, Coetzer 13) A wide half-volley from Willey is square-driven nicely for four by Cross, who then plays a gorgeous back-foot push-drive that races to the cover boundary. That was a beautiful stroke.
3rd over: Scotland 20-0 (Cross 6, Coetzer 13) Coetzer pulls Wood over the top for a couple. He was slightly beaten for pace but got enough on it to clear square leg comfortably. Coetzer gets his first boundary later in the over, driving handsomely through the covers. It’s been a good start for Scotland and Coetzer gets four more with a risky on-drive that just beats the diving Willey at mid-on.
2nd over: Scotland 8-0 (Cross 6, Coetzer 1) A poor ball from Willey, short and wide, is belted emphatically to the cover boundary by Cross. No early swing for Willey, and this looks a decent pitch as well.
1st over: Scotland 1-0 (Cross 1, Coetzer 0) Mark Wood starts the innings with an excellent over, in which he beats the outside edges of both Matt Cross and Kyle Coetzer. The captain Coetzer is the key wicket for England – he has a superb ODI record.
“Morning Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “Am I the only one who would quite like England to lose today? Not because I want England to lose, but because I want Scotland to stick two great big fingers up to the ICC and the power brokers who could only think about securing their own pieces of the pie and shrinking the World Cup so that the very idea that it’s a World Cup becomes laughable. Unexpectedly angry and serious one up from me for starters. Normal larking about will be resumed later.”
After a stirring bagpipe rendition of Flower of Scotland, the players are ready to go.
There’s plenty of other cricket going on today. You can follow all the county action with our live blog.
Dylan Budge makes his ODI debut for Scotland. England have a few players missing – Stokes, Woakes, Buttler – but still look very strong.
Scotland Coetzer (c), Cross (wk), MacLeod, Berrington, Munsey, Budge, Leask, Sharif, Watt, Sole, Evans.
Eoin Morgan says it looks like a good wicket; we know that England like to chase. Kyle Coetzer says he’d have been happy to bat or bowl first.
A bit of pre-match reading
Related: Jofra Archer not part of England’s World Cup plans, says Eoin Morgan
Related: Kyle Coetzer: 'Any time Scotland face England it’s a bit special'
A bit of news on Jimmy Anderson (from an ECB press release)
England and Lancashire seamer Jimmy Anderson will take a six-week period of rehabilitation on a long-standing right shoulder injury.
He will miss Lancashire’s next two County Championship matches against Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road (June 20) and the match against Hampshire on June 25.
Hello. Strange times are these in which we live. Donald Trump is US president, grown adults communicate in hashtags and emojis. And strangest of all – you know exactly where this is going, don’t you - England are the best ODI side in the world. Over the next few weeks they will hope to confirm that status, and their concomitant position as favourites for next year’s World Cup.
They have series against Australia (five matches) and India (three matches) to come, but their white-ball summer starts with this one-off ODI against Scotland in Edinburgh. Scotland have improved massively in recent times, and were desperately unfortunate not to qualify for the World Cup. But it would still be mighty strange if they beat England for the first time in their history.
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