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Warne loses cool as Scots take kudos

Australia (182-4) bt Scotland (181-7) by 6 wkts

To Australia the points but to Scotland the kudos from this first venture into full international cricket for the part-timers from north of the border.

They brought with them a mass of supporters in tartan and kilts, some of whom eventually got to Shane Warne with their infantile barracking.

Warne supplied a steadying influence to a sometimes ordinary attack, but it was a pity he eventually rose to the bait since he has just been fined half his match fee and is under a two-game suspended ban after his newspaper attack on Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

The Scottish followers brought an inflatable whale as a bloated representation of the leg-spinner and taunted Warne with cries of ``chubby''. Warne eventually cracked, giving them a one-finger gesture.

Fortunately match referee Ranjan Madugalle did not see the incident.

This was Scotland's first experience of the one-day game among the giants and if they can build on their form then other World Cup opponents will belittle them at their peril. They found Australia on an off-day: some poor ground fielding, three dropped catches and wickets thrown away by poor shot selection. But who would have predicted that only a six-wicket margin would have stood between the new boys and a side who pride themselves on being the world's best?

Scotland suffered from the inability of early batsmen to cope with Damien Fleming's accuracy and movement off the pitch. They went along at two runs an over as far as the 20th, which asked too much of the later order.

The high point of Scotland's innings was the 62-run sixth-wicket stand between Yorkshire's Gavin Hamilton and Australian-born James Brinkley, both dismissed by Warne.

Two sharp catches encapsulated Scotland's spirit. Adam Gilchrist was brilliantly picked up at leg gully by Iain Philip, and Ricky Ponting was caught in front of the pavilion by Mike Allingham after a breathtaking chase and dive.

Mark Waugh, with 67, was the only man to pass 50 but his brother, Steve, got to 49 as Australia won with nearly six overs to spare.