Scorecard | Images

Billy Stelling and Ryan ten Doeschate spurred the Netherlands to a landmark victory over Scotland in their World Cup Group A match on Thursday.

The Dutch won by eight wickets, their first victory over Scotland in the three one-day internationals the countries have contested and only their second win in 14 World Cup matches.

Scotland, who were put in to bat, were dismissed for 136 in 34.1 overs.

The Netherlands replied with 140 for two to win with 26.1 overs to spare.

Medium pacer Stelling claimed career-best figures of three for 12 from eight overs, while Ten Doeschate scored an unbeaten 70.

Both teams were aiming to win their first match at the tournament following crushing defeats by champions Australia and top-ranked South Africa.

The South African-born Stelling's previous best performance was the three for 41.

Stelling owed some of his success to Luuk van Troost, the Dutch captain, who dropped himself from the team to make room for the seamer.

Stelling might have taken more wickets had Daan van Bunge, who was hit for six sixes in an over by South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs last week, not dropped two slip catches off his bowling.

The Scotland batsmen paid the price for injudicious strokeplay on a pitch that offered movement off the seam with the new ball.

That made the Netherlands's collection of trundlers look lethal as they reduced Scotland to 15 for four in the seventh over.

Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum steadied the innings with a stand of 24 for the fifth wicket before McCallum and Colin Smith added 38 runs to push Scotland past the half-century mark.

Glenn Rogers, top-scorer with 26, and McCallum (24) were the only batsmen to cross the 20-run mark.