SCOTLAND restored a sheen of respectability to their T20 World Cup journey but still fell to an expected defeat to New Zealand in their third Super 12 contest.

There were brief flickers of optimism both in the field – when they had their opponents languishing at 52/3  - and again in their reply as they looked to chase down a target of 173 before running out of both steam and overs.

Michael Leask put in an entertaining cameo with the bat – swatting 42 off just 20 balls – but it was too little, too late as New Zealand ran out winners by 16 runs, Scotland finishing on 156/5.

The Saltires needed at least one of their top-order batters to record a big score after Martin Guptill had made a terrific 93 to leave New Zealand in command.

A few offered promise but none were able to get beyond 27 before Leask’s late rush that included three boundaries and three maximums. But by that point the game had already moved beyond Scotland.

“So close but just not quite good enough in the end,” was the assessment of head coach Shane Burger. “We know that we could have done enough - and should have done enough - to get over the line against a very good cricket team who are ranked fourth in the world.

“We put on a good show but we also know that there are areas we need to be better in.”

Guptill ultimately took the game away from them but there was a spell when – after winning the toss and electing to bowl – a shock looked on the cards for the Saltires.

After a solid start, New Zealand lost two wickets in the fifth over to give their opponents a glimmer of early hope.

Safyaan Sharif was the man doing the damage, trapping opener Daryl Mitchell lbw for 13 before having captain Kane Williamson caught behind for a four-ball duck, with only a last ball wide denying the fast bowler a double-wicket maiden.

When the ever-dangerous Mark Watt then had Devon Conway caught off the glove with the first ball after the powerplay, New Zealand seemed to be wobbling on 52/3.

Guptill, in partnership with Glenn Phillips, however, soon steadied the ship and then started to attack the Scotland bowling in a devastating middle-overs spell.

Having already surpassed 3000 T20I career runs – second only to Virat Kohl – he reached his half-century with a maximum off Chris Greaves, one of seven he would go on to bludgeon.

Phillips was dropped by Leask in the deep and he and Guptill made the most of that to run up a century partnership to put New Zealand in the driving seat.

Scotland, though, shored things up towards the end, with both batters falling in successive balls in the 19th over.

Brad Wheal was the bowler, having Phillips caught by Greaves for 33 with Guptill – who looked exhausted in the heat and humidity – following him next, seven shy of his century.

New Zealand’s 172/5 was a big total but just about in Scotland’s reach if one or two of their batters could put in a big score.

Coetzer, returning to the team after a finger injury, looked for a spell that it could be him after making four boundaries before being caught by Tim Southee off Trent Boult’s bowling for 17.

That brought Matthew Cross to the crease and he was soon making his mark, pounding five successive fours off Adam Milne to leave the Scots well set at 48/1 by the end of the powerplay.

When George Munsey then struck two successive maximums off Ish Sodhi, Scottish hopes rose accordingly - only to then be dashed almost immediately.

Munsey didn’t get enough on a full toss and was brilliantly caught by Southee, terminating his innings for 22 when the left-hander looked set to run up a big score.

The boundaries dried up after that but by the halfway stage Scotland were still on course to pull off a shock with only two wickets down.

They needed Cross to stick around but he went the next over for 27, flummoxed by a Southee delivery that nipped in and crashed into his middle stump.

Scotland had to up the tempo as the required run rate escalated to more than 12 an over and a maximum from Richie Berrington took them to 100/3 after 14 overs.

The chase was on but a fourth wicket tumbled not long after with Calum MacLeod departing for 12, trying to heave Boult for a big hit only to miss and be bowled.

Leask survived an lbw review but the reprieve for Scotland was brief, with Berrington going next ball for 20 with a top edge that was gloved by Conway.

Scotland eventually saw out their 20 overs but they had left themselves too much to do at the death.