CALUM MacLeod’s unbeaten century helped Scotland beat Oman by 52 runs and make it three wins from four matches in the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier, while Ireland hammered the United States by 64 runs to win their third match in a row. MacLeod finished 104 not out from 76 balls as he powered Scotland to 158 for five before a tight bowling performance sealed a heavy win.
Scotland chose to bat first and promptly put on a 104-run opening stand as Richie Berrington (30 off 28 balls) provided able assistance to the in-form MacLeod.
Three wickets then fell for 18 runs but MacLeod ensured the scoring rate never faltered too badly.
Aside from the opening pair only Preston Mommsen with 13 got out of double figures but MacLeod’s tally of six fours and four sixes made up for that.
Safyaan Sharif then removed both openers early to undermine the Oman reply.
Their chase never really got off the ground as Matthew Parker and Mommsen shared four wickets and Madjid Haq returned match-best figures of three for 12.
Oman lost their last man with 14 balls left in the match.
Ireland hammered the United States by 64 runs to win their third match in a row at the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier in Dubai.
Having been shocked by Namibia on the first day, they have hit their stride and scored 160 before bowling their opponents out for just 96 with two overs to spare.
Ed Joyce, with a busy 46 in 47 balls, ended a barren run so far and big hitter Kevin O’Brien struck two fours and two sixes in a quick-fire 47.
John Mooney also cleared the ropes in a late cameo worth 12 not out and the in-form Gary Wilson managed 19 in 10 deliveries.
Elmore Hutchinson kept the USA afloat with tidy figures of three for 22.
But Boyd Rankin blew away their chances of a meaningful response with outstanding figures of four for nine in his four-over allocation.
Andrew White and Trent Johnston snared two wickets apiece in support while Hutchinson again spared his side’s blushes – top-scoring from number nine with 29.

Group A
Canada beat Bermuda by 72 runs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.
Canada 175-6, 20 overs (Ruvindu Gunasekera 83, Tyson Gordon 39 not out; Rodney Trott 2-14, Curt Stovell 2-15)
Bermuda 103 all out, 19.3 overs (Lional Cann 33; Rizwan Cheema 3-16, Manninder Aulakh 2-11)
Man-of-the-match: Ruvindu Gunasekera (Canada)

Afghanistan beat Nepal by 34 runs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Afghanistan 157-6, 20 overs (Karim Sadiq 52, Mohammad Shahzad 52; Chandra Sawad 3-30)
Nepal 123-6, 20 overs (Anil Mandal 50, Paras Khadka 24; Dawlat Zadran 2-16, Mohammad Nabi 2-27, Karim Sadiq 1-23)
Man-of-the-match: Karim Sadiq (Afghanistan)

Papua New Guinea beat Hong Kong by four wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.
Hong Kong 131-9, 20 overs (Jamie Atkinson 52; Chris Amini 2-15, John Reva 2-31)
PNG 132-6, 19.5 overs (Tony Ura 46, Geraint Jones 34; Nizakat Khan 3-18)
Man-of-the-match: Tony Ura (PNG)

Netherlands beat Denmark by seven wickets at ICC GCA, Oval 2, Dubai Sports City.
Denmark 117-9, 20 overs (James Moniz 47, Aftab Ahmed 20; Peter Borren 3-13)
Netherlands 122-3, 16.1 overs (Stephan Myburgh 55 not out, Wesley Barresi 45 not out)
Man-of-the-match: Stephan Myburgh (Netherlands)

Group B
Namibia beat Uganda by four runs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Namibia 140-5, 20 overs (Raymond van Schoor 60, Craig Williams 36; Charles Waiswa 3-29)
Uganda 136-6, 20 overs (Arthur Kyobe 38, Deusdedit Muhumza 18; Sarel Burger 2-15)
Man-of-the-match: Raymond van Schoor (Namibia)

Scotland beat Oman by 52 runs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Scotland 158-5, 20 overs (Calum MacLeod 104 not out, Zeeshan Siddiqui 2-28, Hemal Mehta 2-29)
Oman 106 all out, 17.4 overs (Amir Ali 25; Majid Haq 3-12, Saafyan Sharif 2-15, Preston Mommsen 2-23)
Man-of-the-match: Calum MacLeod (Scotland)

Kenya beat Italy by eight wickets at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Italy 145-3, 20 overs (Gareth Berg 60 not out, Peter Petricola 32; Collins Obuya 2-23)
Kenya 146-3, 17.5 overs (Alex Obanda 79, Duncan Allan 41 not out; Damian Crowley 2-21)
Man-of-the-match: Alex Obanda (Kenya)

Ireland beat USA by 64 runs at ICC GCA Oval 2, Dubai Sports City.
Ireland 160-6, 20 overs (Kevin O’Brien 47, Ed Joyce 46; Elmore Hutchinson 3-22, Abhimanyu Rajp 2-24)
USA 96 all out, 18 overs (Steven Taylor 23; Boyd Rankin 4-9, Trent Johnston 2-38)
Man-of-the-match: Boyd Rankin (Ireland)