SCOTLAND bowed out of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament with the second lowest score in the event’s history as South Africa lived up to their billing as one of the favourites.

Needing victory to avoid an early exit from the competition following Saturday’s defeat to New Zealand, Scotland were unlikely to cause a shock from the moment South Africa powered to a daunting 211 for five after being put in to bat at The Oval.

But the real gulf in class was exposed when Scotland began their reply and were dismissed for just 81 in only 15.4 overs, a total which was only marginally better than the worst ever in this event of 73 recorded by Kenya against New Zealand in Durban two years ago.

It was also the seventh worst total in Twenty20 international history despite Kyle Coetzer hitting a determined 42 off 32 balls before becoming the first of four wickets to fall in a ten-ball spell to end their innings.

South Africa’s total, their highest in this format, was achieved by a stunning display of hitting towards the end of their innings by AB de Villiers which helped them add 83 runs from the final five overs.

Teaming up with Albie Morkel after off-spinner Majid Haq and left-arm spinner Glenn Rogers had halted South Africa’s earlier run spree, the pair hammered 51 off 19 balls to end any hopes of Scotland limiting them to a modest total.

Scotland’s innings suffered a disastrous start when they lost four wickets inside the first four overs and looked to be heading for an even more humiliating total.

But Durham’s Coetzer, who had earlier taken a stunning one-handed catch at long off to remove Mark Boucher, provided impressive resistance to put Scotland on course to at least reach three figures.

He hit all-rounder Morkel for two of his three sixes, but attempting to hit off-spinner Johan Botha back over his head he instead mis-timed it high in the air and was caught with six overs remaining.

Coetzer’s demise sparked a late collapse with Morkel wrapping up the lower order with two wickets in three balls to secure South Africa’s emphatic 130-run triumph.

Scoreboard

Scotland v South Africa At The Brit Oval

South Africa Innings

G C Smith c C J O Smith b Haq ............38

J H Kallis b Haq ...................................48

H H Gibbs st C J O Smith b Watson .....16

A B de Villiers not out .........................79

J A Morkel c K J Coetzer b Drummond .24

M V Boucher c K J Coetzer b Drummond 2

J P Duminy not out ............................. 0

Extras (w1 nb3 pens 0)................ 4

Total 5 wkts Innings Complete (20 overs) ............................211

Fall: 1-87 2-88 3-125 4-176 5-195

Did Not Bat: R van der Merwe, J Botha, W D Parnell, D W Steyn. MacLeod 4-0-37-0. Drummond 4-0-40-2. Stander 1-0-21-0. Rogers 4-0-52-0. Haq 4- 0-25-2. Watson 3-0-36-1.

Scotland Innings

G M Hamilton c Duminy b Parnell ......... 5

R R Watson b Steyn ............................. 4

N S Poonia run out ............................. 0

K J Coetzer c & b van der Merwe ........42

C J Smith b Steyn ................................ 0

N F McCallum b J Botha ..................... 8

J H Stander lbw b J Botha .................... 2

R M Haq b van der Merwe ...................15

G A Rogers not out ............................. 1

G D Drummond b J A Morkel .............. 1

C S MacLeod b J A Morkel .................. 0

Extras (lb1 w2 pens 0)................. 3

Total (15.4 overs) ......................81

Fall: 1-6 2-10 3-13 4-13 5-35 6-41 7-79 8-79 9-81

Steyn 3-0-21-2. Parnell 2-0-6-1. Kallis 1-0-4- 0. J Botha 4-0-17-2. van der Merwe 4-0-17- 2. J A Morkel 1.4-0-15-2.

South Africa beat Scotland by 130 runs.