[Watch] Incredible scenes as Michael Leask's boundary helps Scotland sink Ireland on the last ball
Scotland all-rounder Michael Leask delivered under extreme pressure to help his team beat Ireland in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers on Wednesday, June 21. Leask's sensational 91*(61) coupled with some invaluable contributions from the lower order helped Scotland pull off a near-impossible victory.
The game went down to the wire where the Scotland side needed two runs off the final ball. Mark Adair bowled a slower delivery and kept it out of Leask's reach. He tried to drag the delivery towards leg-side but could only get an inside edge.
Fortunately for Michael Leask and Scotland, the inside edge eluded the wicketkeeper and went for a boundary towards fine leg. The Scotland players in the dugout began celebrating and Leask too was ecstatic, roaring in relief after what was an absolutely pulsating game.
Here's a video of the winning moment:
Michael Leask, Mark Watt combined in a rearguard action for the ages
At 152/7, it seemed like the game was over and that Ireland would coast to a big win. However, Michael Leask began a stunning counter-attack and that caught the Irish offguard. Mark Watt also showed his batting ability from the other end, contributing a crucial 47 runs.
That partnership of 82 runs gave the Scots some hope and renewed vigor. Safyaan Sharif then joined Leask and proved to be the ideal second-fiddle that the all-rounder needed. The duo added another fifty runs before Sharif was dismissed in a thrilling final over.
One could argue that Leask got a lucky boundary on the final ball, but he probably deserved that luck given the courageous way he batted. Ireland's World Cup qualification dreams have taken a massive dent now as they have lost both their games so far in the qualifiers.
Scotland, on the other hand, will have an incredibly high morale after such a thrilliang win.