On a second day of fluctuating fortunes Scotland survived a difficult first session at Het Schootsveld in Deventer, and then steadily took control of the match, largely thanks to a fine fifth-wicket partnership of 133 between Richie Berrington and Neil McCallum.

Resuming at 16 for one in their pursuit of the Dutch total of 210, Scotland laboured their way to 70 for four by the lunch interval, with the Dutch bowlers doing everything in their power to make even that progress as difficult as possible.

Off-spinner Adeel Raja and seamer Peter Borren were particularly impressive in this session, Raja collecting two wickets in a well-controlled spell and Borren causing Berrington some problems with nine overs of sustained hostility.

But Berrington and McCallum were together at the interval and immediately afterwards, helped by some wayward bowling and indifferent fielding and catching, they began to take the initiative. As many runs came in the first nineteen overs as the side had managed in the whole of the pre-lunch session, and by tea the total had reached 168 without further loss.

Berrington had moved on to 73, and in the final session he passed his previous highest first-class score, reaching 82 before he hit a return catch to Borren shortly before the Dutch took the new ball. McCallum went past fifty for the third time in first-class matches, but on this occasion, unlike the previous two, he was unable to convert it into a century, edging Mark Jonkman to Borren at second slip when he had made 51.

The Scottish lead was just six at this stage, but any hopes of rapidly finishing the innings off were extinguished by Maiden and Parker, who batted very sensibly in adding 45 invaluable runs in just ten overs. Ruud Nijman eventually surprised Maiden with extra pace and bounce and had him caught behind for 40, but Parker and Majid Haq saw out the day and extended the lead to 63 by the close.

Adeel Raja was the pick of the bowlers, while Borren, Jonkman and Nijman worked hard all day. Westdijk bowled only nine overs in the day, and Pieter Seelaar struggled with line and length in the two spells he contributed after lunch.

Scotland will now be keen to press home their advantage tomorrow morning, building up a sizable lead and then putting The Netherlands under pressure when they bat again. For the Dutch, it will be vital to finish off the innings quickly and then bat with more conviction than they managed on the first day.

Barring rain, it certainly looks as if this match will produce an outright result, and the odds have shifted markedly in favour of Scotland.