Ten overs of mayhem for sorry Scots

SCOTLAND's cricketers were last night staring at a humiliating defeat after a spectacular batting collapse against Afghanistan in their Intercontinental Cup encounter at Cambusdoon, Ayr.

If the Afghans showed their batting prowess on Wednesday, they showed they are just as talented with the ball in skittling the Scots for 139 to claim a first innings lead of 296.

Needing 285 merely to avoid the follow-on, the Scottish innings turned into a sorry procession from the moment Fraser Watts edged a Hamid Hassan delivery to Nawroz Mangal at first slip.

Ryan Flannigan was unlucky to be caught short by Ashraf's direct hit from the deep cover boundary.

Richie Berrington was next to go, gloving a catch to the keeper down the leg-side as the Scots reached tea at 61-3. The predicament only got worse on the restart with Scotland losing six wickets for the addition of nine runs in ten overs of mayhem. Ewan Chalmers, having battled through 80 balls for ten, was comprehensively bowled by Hassan.

Mohammed Nabi turned one past Moneeb Iqbal's bat before Hassan completed his first five-wicket haul when Parker and Haq fell in the same over.

Hassan, who compiled career-best figures of 6-41, then limped out of the attack to pave the way for a mini-recovery during which Simon Smith and Dewald Nel added 73 for the final wicket.

Indeed, No 11 batsman Nel went on to top score with 36 - his highest score for Scotland.

Scotland were offered further respite when Afghanistan opted not to enforce the follow-on and claimed the five wickets they needed to finally bring the Afghanistan innings to an end.

Asghar Stanikzai, who had resumed on 88, added just five to his tally before an attempted pull off Richie Berrington landed in the safe hands of Parker at deep fine leg.

Majid Haq and Gordon Drummond then combined to apply the sort of pressure which had been sadly missing on the first day.

Haq was rewarded with two wickets for a splendid spell of off-spin while Drummond bowled Hamid Hassan. Samiullah Shenwari, though, had his eyes on a maiden first class century and he reached the landmark from 194 balls before Dewald Nel got through his defences to bring the run-spree to an end.

If it was the end of one form of torment, another was about to begin.