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O'Dowd and Dutch have final say against Munsey muscle in CWC League 2
The promise of drama in ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 was backed up once again as Max O'Dowd and The Netherlands overshadowed a record effort from Scotland opener George Munsey in Dundee.
In a showcase of two openers at the peak of their powers, it was an O'Dowd six in the 100th over the match to complete the heist away from the hosts, as he finished with 158 not out in just 130 balls in a staggering chase of 370.
Scotland v Netherlands | Match Highlights | ICC Men's CWCL2 2023-27
Another stunning Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Dundee as Scotland and The Netherlands launch in a high-scoring battle
Earlier, it had looked like another Munsey mauling had taken Scotland to victory, with his 191 from 150 rewriting the history books.
Bludgeoning 14 fours and 11 sixes in a typical knock of power all around the wicket, Munsey broke the record for the higest individual ODI score by an Associate batter, passing a 2010 effort from then-Associate Ireland's Paul Stirling, who made 177 against Canada in 2010.
Munsey's exploits almost meant he claimed bragging rights off Calum MacLeod for the highest ODI score by a Scot, while the innings is also the biggest in the short history of the six-year history of Cricket World Cup League 2 format, beating American Milind Kumar's 155* versus UAE.
Munsey's efforts fell just short of the highest individual score by an Associate in an international match with List A status, with Gerrie Snyman's 196 against UAE in April 2010 in the old World Cricket League 2 competition still unbeaten.
And in a scarcely-believable parallel to Snyman's knock which came in a losing side 15 years ago, Munsey's efforts also proved in vain, with O'Dowd's swashbuckling response helping the men in orange to the competition points.
While joined along the way by a number of partners, particularly Teja Nidamanuru (51) and a late Noah Croes of 50 in just 29 balls, O'Dowd was the obvious aggressor, responding to Munsey's efforts with 27 boundaries of his own.
Having kept the required rate in check for the first 40 overs, the injection of Croes helped O'Dowd move into the final gear.
Needing 86 runs from the final 54 balls, the pair made 37 in the next four overs, before overs of 17 and 14 broke the back the back of the Scots.
Croes would fall before victory, though the experience of Roelof van der Merwe ensured the Dutch sealed victory, ticking strike over to O'Dowd who closed out.
The win puts the Dutch alongside the USA at the top of the League 2 table (28 points), though have played four more matches than the Americans in the 36-match cycle.
Scotland and Oman, who also enjoy four matches in hand over the Dutch, sit two wins back on 20 points. ICC CWC League 2, 2023-27NewsMax O'DowdGeorge Munsey
