SCOTLAND’s cricketers suffered last-ball despair yesterday as their latest South African tour match ended in an agonising one-run defeat.

The Saltires went into their T20 clash with the North West Dragons in Potchefstroom on a high after Wednesday’s 50-over win against the same opponents.

However, after dismissing their hosts for 143, they fell a single run short.

Coach Pete Steindl said: “We felt as a team that this was a game we should have won and the guys are frustrated to have fallen just short.

“In fairness we dragged it back pretty well in both innings but, having given ourselves a chance, we failed to take it.”

The Dragons looked like posting a huge total when they cruised to 99-2, only for the Scots to fight back in style.

Sussex spinner Matt Machan led the way with 3-16 while Gordon Goudie and Safy Sharif each claimed two scalps as the final eight wickets fell for 44 runs.

Machan and Calum MacLeod got the reply off to a flier only for a clutch of wickets to leave Scotland teetering on 50-5.

Haq and David Murphy launched the tourists’ second recovery of the match to leave Goudie and Richard Coughtrie requiring 21 runs off the final over.

A flurry of boundaries then reduced the target to four from the final delivery.

However, the pair managed just two before Coughtrie was run out going for the third that would have tied the match, the Scots finishing on 142-7.

Steindl added: “We really pegged them back well with the ball and Matt was the pick of our bowlers. He showed what a fierce competitor he is.

“Unfortunately we lost too many wickets in the middle overs and it was a great effort by Gordon and Richard to get us so close in the end.”

The Saltires will bid for revenge when they face the Dragons in a second T20 clash tomorrow (Sun).