HARARE (BBC): Scotland’s hopes of reaching the 2019 Cricket World Cup are effectively over after rain in Harare halted their run-chase to send the West Indies through.
The Scots needed another 74 off 14.4 overs when the deluge intervened, Kyle Coetzer’s side trailing by five runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
They had earlier bowled the Windies out for 198, Safyaan Sharif and Brad Wheal both taking three wickets.
Richie Berrington hit 33 after Scotland were reduced to 25-3 in reply.
But his controversial dismissal, given out lbw to a ball that replays appeared to show was heading down the leg side, proved costly as Scotland’s hopes of a fourth World Cup appearance – after reaching the 1999, 2007 and 2015 tournaments – were ended by the weather.
The Scots made a sensational start when Sharif (3-27) had Gayle caught behind with the first ball of the match, then removed Shai Hope in his second over.
But from 2-2, Evin Lewis (66) and Marlon Samuels (51) put on a stand of 121 to steady the Windies ship.
Opener Lewis struck 66 off 87 balls, with seven fours and two sixes, before falling lbw attempting to slog Wheal (3-34), the first of three wickets for the Hampshire paceman.
Off-spinner Michael Leask removed Samuels and then Shimron Hetmyer with his next ball to reduce the Windies to 135-5 before Jason Holder and Rovman Powell staged a brief rally.
Only a breezy 24 from Carlos Brathwaite dragged his side towards 200 as Scotland continued to take wickets at regular intervals.
In reply, the Scots lost captain Kyle Coetzer and fellow opener Matt Cross inside the fourth over to slump to 12-2.
Michael Jones also perished quickly, holing out in the deep, but Calum MacLeod (21) and Berrington put on 42 for the fourth wicket.
George Munsey (32no) joined Berrington to take Scotland past 100 and in with a chance of victory before the latter’s pivotal dismissal.
Munsey and Leask put on another 20 runs before heavy rain forced the umpires to call for the covers. With the outfield at the Harare Sports Club then becoming increasingly waterlogged and the light getting worse, the match was called off.
Hosts Zimbabwe will take the second and final qualifying place if they beat UAE (who are already eliminated) on Thursday.
But a UAE win would see the the winner of Ireland v Afghanistan, who meet in the final Super Sixes fixture on Friday, qualify.
