Scotland suffered a heartbreaking end to their hopes of playing in the 2019 Cricket World Cup as rain in Harare ruined a promising run chase and ensured qualification for West Indies instead.

Kyle Coetzer’s side were chasing 199 for victory in their final group game and a guaranteed place in the 50-over showpiece next year following a fine bowling performance, reaching 125 for five from 35.2 overs when the deluge struck.

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With play not resuming before the 5pm cut-off time and no reserve day scheduled, it meant a five-run victory for West Indies via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation that booked a World Cup berth for the two-times winners. It left Scotland with a profound sense of what if.

This primarily surrounded the lack of a decision review system in this ICC qualifying tournament. Had Richie Berrington not been wrongly adjudged lbw on 33 to the spinner Ashley Nurse in the 32nd over – and Scotland been just four down for the same total come the rain – victory and qualification would have been theirs.

Scotland, who had earlier bowled out Jason Holder’s side for 198 thanks to three wickets apiece from Safyaan Sharif and Brad Wheal, will now finish outside the top two, with the second‑placed Zimbabwe needing victory against the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to go also through. A defeat for the home side would open it up for the winner of Afghanistan versus Ireland on Friday.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest West Indies players celebrate qualifying for the World Cup. Photograph: Julian Herbert/IDI via Getty Images

The England and Wales Cricket Board, meanwhile, has introduced concussion substitutes for its domestic tournaments from this year onwards as part of a new set of playing regulations that also include measures to tackle on-field breaches of discipline.

Teams in the County Championship, Royal London Cup and the Vitality Blast – as well as the women’s Kia Super League – will now be allowed to swap a player who sustains concussion or suspected concussion during a match for a “like for like” replacement, subject to sign off from the cricket liaison officer.

In keeping with changes to the Laws of Cricket by the MCC last autumn, teams will be subject to a five-run penalty if they commit two level‑one disciplinary offences, or one level‑two offence, during a match. Such breaches include offensive language, showing dissent to an umpire or deliberate physical contact with a player. The more serious level three and four charges will also invoke the five-run penalty but under new powers officials could also eject the offender from some or all of the remaining play.