England inched their way into the Super Eights after a tense washed-out contest at Providence, as the same Guyana weather that had contributed to their downfall against West Indies came to their aid in a fraught and low-scoring contest against the underdogs of Ireland.

After being limited to a mediocre 120 for 8 following a superb bowling display led by Trent Johnston, England had restricted Ireland to 14 for 1 after 3.3 overs of their reply, but persistent bad weather denied them the chance to complete their run-chase, and so England went through by virtue of a superior run-rate.

It was a cruel way for Ireland’s campaign to come to an end, because on a slow and cracked surface, their battery of medium-pacers had forced England to scrap for each and every single. And, in an ironic twist, the only man who came close to mastering the requirements was none other than the former Irishman, Eoin Morgan, who stood firm with a determined 45 from 37 balls.

The scenario was much as it had been when the teams last met in an international fixture, on a sticky surface at Belfast back in August, and then as now, the veteran Trent Johnston led the line impeccably. With lateral movement from a tight and full length, he claimed 1 for 14 in his four-over spell, with just a solitary boundary in his 24 deliveries, as Michael Lumb pulled a fractional short ball through midwicket for four.

Whereas Lumb and Craig Kieswetter had started like the clappers against West Indies on Monday, this time they found the shackles hard to break. Boyd Rankin spoiled his figures with a brace of leg-stump long-hops that Lumb clipped round the corner for two welcome boundaries, but that same shot soon proved to be his downfall, as Boyd Rankin stooped at short backward square to cling onto a sharp chance from the first ball of Kevin O’Brien’s spell.

One ball earlier, Kieswetter had been badly dropped by Andre Botha as he edged a lifting seamer from Johnston through the slips, but he couldn’t make his good fortune count. In Johnston’s next over, he set off for a suicidal single to short midwicket and was rightly sent back by the stationary Kevin Pietersen. As he dived, his bat bounced in the crease, and after a lengthy analysis the third umpire, Asad Rauf, sent him on his way for 13.

In the same Johnston over, England’s innings really hit the skids as Paul Collingwood edged a fizzing seamer to Botha at slip, who this time made no mistake to send the captain on his way for a third-ball duck. At 32 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay overs, England had made almost half as many runs as they had managed in their first six overs against West Indies, for the loss of three more wickets.

And three soon became four as Pietersen – who had been engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse with the 17-year-old left-arm spinner George Dockrell – picked out John Mooney with an exocet to deep square leg off O’Brien, in a near-replica of his dismissal in the West Indies game. At the halfway mark of the innings, England were floundering at 49 for 4, with all of their hopes invested in a certain former Irishman, Morgan.

Morgan did what he could in the trying circumstances, clipping Alex Cusack through short fine leg before bludgeoning Dockrell through midwicket, but at the other end, Luke Wright found the conditions especially tough to negotiate, and Dockrell tied him in knots in a masterful fourth over, consisting of five dot-balls in a row followed by a wild top-edged mow that landed in no-man’s land for a single.

Ireland’s reply was an anxious affair for both sides. England started diligently enough through Tim Bresnan and Ryan Sidebottom, but having conceded four runs from eight deliveries the rains arrived to force a 30-minute delay – much to Andy Flower’s chagrin, who was seen banging the dressing-room table in disgust.

No overs had been lost when play resumed, and four balls after the resumption, Lumb took off at deep midwicket to cling onto a full-blooded pull to remove Paul Stirling for a duck, but Niall O’Brien belted two fours in a row moments before the second interruption to improve Ireland’s hopes of a favourable Duckworth-Lewis calculation.

Had the match been able to resume 15 minutes before the cut-off time of 4.59pm local time, Ireland would have been set a target of 61 in nine overs. But it was not to be, as rain saved England, only 24 hours after apparently robbing them blind. Twenty20 is indeed an unpredictable form of the game.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo

Pakistan 159 for 5 (Akmal 57) beat Ireland 120 for 9 (Porterfield 40, Ajmal 4-19) by 39 runs…

Requiring a win to move into the semi-finals, Pakistan accomplished just that with an efficient performance, easing past Ireland by 39 runs at The Oval. The margin was also sufficient to lift their net run-rate to 1.19, ensuring there’s no way both New Zealand and Sri Lanka can finish with as many points and a higher rate.

Pakistan’s last World Cup game against Ireland had ended in grief, but here they seemed aware of the threat posed by their feisty opponents: after winning the toss Pakistan played within themselves but yet managed 159, thanks largely to a well-paced 57 by Kamran Akmal. Ireland’s batting is clearly their weaker suit, and considering their highest in the tournament so far is only 138, a target of 160 was always likely to be a tough ask. And so it proved, as they finished on 120.

Apart from Akmal, none of the other Pakistan batsmen got big scores, but there were reasonable partnerships for almost every wicket, ensuring there was no repeat of the collapse which had knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup. Ireland, as usual, made the opposition work for their runs, with Boyd Rankin being the stand-out bowler, but the inability to get wickets meant Pakistan finished with 27 more than they had managed in the 50-over game in Jamaica a couple of years back.

Akmal held the innings together with a measured knock. The confidence of having scored runs in the earlier games was clearly on display, and he was decisive with his footwork and generally sound with his shot selection. He began with a pick-up shot over midwicket for six off the hapless Trent Johnston, and continued to play both the meaty shots and the deft ones: a scoop over fine leg off Alex Cusack went for four, as did crisp drives through cover off the left-arm spin of Regan West.

Shahzaib Hasan and Shahid Afridi, promoted up the order to No.3, didn’t go on to get bigger knocks but they provided the early impetus. Shahzaib kept lofting the pitched-up deliveries over the infield with varying degrees of success till his luck finally ran out, while Afridi thrashed Cusack and West through the off side before Kyle McCallan deceived him with a superb slower, tossed up, offbreak.

Along with Rankin’s fiery burst with the new ball, McCallan’s clever bowling was the highlight for Ireland in the field. Rankin kept it tight and was desperately unlucky not to pick up a wicket, while McCallan’s outstanding flight and change of pace ensured none of the batsmen dominated him. Johnston had a nightmare game, conceding 20 in his second over and 12 in his third, as batsmen picked him off their legs quite effortlessly, but even he redeemed himself with an excellent fourth over, picking up Akmal with a yorker and conceding only four runs.

Ireland gave little away in the field, and yet a target of 160 was always beyond them. William Porterfield fought gustily for his 36-ball 40, but hit his first four in the tenth over of the innings, by which time the asking rate had already climbed to nine and a half. Paul Stirling, playing his first game of the tournament, showed some promise in his 17, which included an impeccable cover-drive to get off the mark, but the big difference between the two sides was in their boundary-hitting abilities – Pakistan struck 13 fours and four sixes; Ireland only managed six fours.

Pakistan’s bowlers were all disciplined, with Mohammad Aamer getting rid of the dangerous Niall O’Brien early. Afridi and Saeed Ajmal offered few scoring opportunities, while Umar Gul continued from where he had left off against New Zealand, knocking over the stumps thrice, including once off a free-hit ball, and then scoring a direct hit to run out Regan West.

A dropped catch by Abdul Razzaq late in the innings was a small blot, but overall it was a polished performance by a team which is increasingly looking like a sound bet for the title.

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo

Sri Lanka 144 for 9 (Jayawardene 78, Cusack 4-18) beat Ireland 135 for 7 (Malinga 2-18) by nine runs…

Mahela Jayawardene saved his team’s blushes with 78 from 53 balls, as Sri Lanka moved a step closer to the semi-finals with an awkward but ultimately comfortable nine-run victory over the unfancied Irish at Lord’s. After winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka were restricted to a modest total of 144 for 9 by a disciplined Ireland bowling performance in which the medium-pacer Alex Cusack excelled with 4 for 18 in three overs. In reply, Will Porterfield and Niall O’Brien raised the prospect of a famous win by adding 59 for the first wicket, but the variety and experience of Sri Lanka’s attack eventually proved overwhelming.

At Trent Bridge on Thursday, Ireland had been no match for New Zealand as they slumped to an 83-run defeat, but this time they remained competitive even after a damaging double setback in the 15th over of their reply, when Ajantha Mendis removed both the dangerous O’Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall, in the space of four deliveries. Ireland carried on swinging until the bitter end, even as Lasith Malinga further undermined their chase with consecutive yorkers to bowl Trent Johnston and Andre Botha, but their final requirement of 18 runs from Malinga’s final over of the innings unsurprisingly proved too much.

For Sri Lanka, Ireland’s challenge came as an unpleasant but timely jolt after their impressive progress in the tournament to date. Their aspirations of a 200-plus total were knocked as early as the second ball of the match, as Tillakaratne Dilshan – their batsman of the tournament so far – top-edged the recalled Boyd Rankin into the safe gloves of Niall O’Brien, running round to square leg.

Rankin, who had been rested during Ireland’s 83-run drubbing against New Zealand, caused problems galore with his extra lift off a good length, and when Johnston at the Pavilion End removed Kumar Sangakkara for 3 from 10, courtesy of another smart catch from O’Brien, Sri Lanka had been restricted 28 for 2 in their six Powerplay overs – second only to England’s 25 for 3 against South Africa as the slowest start to any innings in the tournament so far.

Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya pieced together the innings with a third-wicket stand of 67 in 49 balls, but it was a becalmed performance by their usual pyrotechnic standards, and it wasn’t until the 11th over of the innings that they finally scored their first and only six, as Jayawardene cracked Cusack over midwicket.

Jayasuriya, so dangerous when offered width, didn’t clear the ropes once in his run-a-ball 27, an innings that came to an end when he went down on one knee to slog-sweep the spin of McCallan, and was adjudged lbw much to his chagrin. McCallan, who bowled with guile and deception, then added a second wicket one over later, when Chamara Silva this time connected as he swung across the line, but picked out Rankin on the square-leg fence.

With overs running out, Sri Lanka squandered their wickets with a puff of aggressive smears. Jehan Mubarak skied Cusack to Niall O’Brien, running round to short cover, and Cusack followed up three balls later with the key scalp of Jayawardene, who gave himself too much room for the cut, and was bowled with 12 deliveries remaining. Nuwan Kulasekera clobbered his third delivery, from Rankin, to John Mooney at long-off, before Angelo Mathews stepped outside the line to sweep and was bowled behind his legs by Cusack.

One delivery later, and Cusack had four when Muttiah Muralitharan charged down the track to be stumped, and he could even have claimed an incredible fifth from the last ball of the innings, had Kevin O’Brien at long-on managed to intercept an Ajantha Mendis slog that bounced away for four.

With a manageable target of 145 in his sights, Ireland’s captain, Will Porterfield, took it upon himself to launch their reply in style, as he hoisted Mathews through midwicket for four, before milking Kulasekera for three boundaries in six balls, including a guided cut through a packed off-side field and a sweetly timed sweep from consecutive deliveries.

At the other end, however, disaster very nearly struck when Niall O’Brien backed up too far as Porterfield belatedly turned down a quick single to short cover, and ricked his troublesome right ankle as he stopped, slid and flung himself on all fours back into his crease. During a lengthy delay it appeared as though O’Brien’s tournament might be over, but eventually he returned to his feet and, without the aid of a runner, set about taking the attack back to Sri Lanka.

Although he was hobbling visibly, O’Brien’s first shot in anger after his injury was a spectacular reverse pull off Mendis that belied any apparent lack of mobility, and he followed up with two fours in two balls as Mathews returned to the attack in the ninth over – the first a crisp cover-drive, the second a more fortuitous inside-edge. Though Porterfield was caught behind two balls later off Muralitharan, his 31 from 29 balls had given Ireland a platform to attack, with 86 still required from the final 10.5 overs.

Murali, however, proved typically tough to get away, as did Jayasuriya, whose solitary over went for seven runs. When Malinga served up a brilliant second over of yorkers, bouncers and genuine pace, Ireland’s requirement had leapt to exactly ten an over. Andrew White made good on that demand when he pulled Kulasekera over backward square for six before drilling him through the covers for four one ball later.

But before the over was finished, White’s aggression brought about his downfall as Kumar Sangakkara snaffled a top-edged scoop off the pads, and Ireland’s hopes were extinguished in the next over when both O’Brien brothers fell in the space of four balls. Kevin O’Brien attempted a wild slog through midwicket but steepled a swirling catch to Tillakaratne Dilshan, before Niall charged at a short ball that tweaked past his blade, and Sangakkara completed a regulation stumping.

After that bodyblow, Ireland’s challenge fell away, although Mooney kept them fighting to the bitter end with 31 not out from 21 balls. After their disappointing performance against New Zealand, this was a timely display against one of the acknowledged tournament favourites, but now there will only be pride to play for in their final Super Eight fixture against Pakistan later this week.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo

New Zealand 198 for 5 (Redmond 63, Guptill 45*, Styris 42) beat Ireland 115 (Nathan McCullum 3-15) by 83 runs..

The Black Caps dominated Ireland from start to finish as they put their injury woes behind them to complete a convincing win.

Aaron Redmond battered the Irish attack with 63 from just 30 balls before Martin Guptill (45 not out off 32 balls) and Scott Styris (42 off 25 balls) made sure the onslaught continued over the second half of the innings as they amassed 198-5.

Ireland got off to the worst possible start in their run-chase when Kyle Mills deflected a straight drive by Gary Wilson onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with captain Will Porterfield (1) out of his crease backing up.

Ian Butler then dropped a juggling catch at wide mid-on when Wilson was on five but Niall O’Brien (3) fell in the next over when he tamely drove to Jacob Oram at mid-on.

Wilson (23) and Andre Botha (28) lifted Irish spirits in a perky third-wicket stand of 42 before both then fell in consecutive overs.

Wilson picked out James Franklin on the extra cover boundary, who took a good low catch, off Scott Styris and then the previous bowler turned fielder to effect a run out when Botha was sent back going for a single.
With that went any – albeit unlikely – hope for Ireland to cause another shock.

Alex Cusack (20 off 12 balls) hit out defiantly for a while but when he became the first of two wickets to fall to Nathan McCullum the end was nigh.

Trent Johnston (14) became the fourth run-out victim before Mills comprehensively bowled Regan West to finish the Irish off.

Redmond, who had been drafted into the squad to replace Jesse Ryder (virus), had earlier got his campaign off to a flyer with three boundaries in the first over- bowled by Peter Connell.

The right-hander then smacked Johnston for four more boundaries in the seamer’s opening six balls as he quickly moved to 30 from 10 balls.

Kevin O’Brien put a block on the scoring, conceding just two in his initial burst, but life got no easier for Johnston as Redmond plundered another two boundaries at the start of his second over.

O’Brien’s earlier miserliness was diminished when Brendon McCullum deposited a full-toss into the stand at square leg – the 100th six of the tournament.

The 50 came off just 28 balls as New Zealand seemed intent on getting the job done as quickly as possible.
Kyle McCallan dismissed McCullum (10) with his second delivery, when the stand-in captain picked out mid-off, but that did little to upset the balance of power.

Redmond upset the off-spinner’s line in his second over when he reverse-swept for consecutive fours to bring up his 50 (off 23 balls) and then ended the over with another boundary to midwicket.

Guptill joined in the fun when he picked up an O’Brien slower ball for six and then hit another boundary to long-off as the Black Caps sailed along to 95-2 at the midway point.

Redmond went during that 10th over when he was trapped leg before in Alex Cusack’s first over by a delivery that kept low as he ventured to work the ball to the on-side.

West put down a fairly simple caught and bowled chance off Styris (on 16) as the third-wicket pair reached their 50-stand off 34 balls.

Styris celebrated the landmark by clubbing McCallan over midwicket for six and then hit his first four (after three sixes) over extra-cover. The all-rounder succumbed to the next ball when he was well caught low down by Kevin O’Brien at deep backward square-leg.

The entrance of Oram failed to stem the flow of runs as he added 15 off seven balls before he was caught on the cover boundary.

Peter McGlashan (5) was bowled when he opened up his stumps looking to paddle the ball over the on-side, only to be bowled by Johnston.

Guptill ensured the Black Caps carried their onslaught through to the last, hammering the largest six of the day into the upper tier at wide mid-on off Cusack and then picked out the same area in the final over – off Johnston – for his fourth maximum to lift his side to the second highest total in the tournament thus far.

The Black Caps will hope captain Daniel Vettori (shoulder) and Ross Taylor (hamstring) will soon return to fitness for tougher challenges ahead but their progress without them has been encouraging thus far.

India 113 for 2 (Rohit 52*, Gambhir 37) beat Ireland 112 for 8 (Zaheer 4-19, Ojha 2-18) by eight wickets…

Zaheer Khan did most of the damage as champions India inflicted a chastening eight-wicket defeat on Ireland in the final ICC World Twenty20 Group A fixture at Trent Bridge.

William Porterfield’s men managed to muster only 112 for eight from 18 overs, after being put in first in a rain-shortened match.

They dug in admirably to make even that many, against some high-class pace bowling from Zaheer (4-19) among others – but were unable to defend their total as India raced home with 15 balls to spare, on the back of another half-century from in-form opener Rohit Sharma.

The mitigation for Ireland was the absence of injured pair Niall O’Brien and Trent Johnston, who both expect to be fit in time for tomorrow afternoon’s Super Eights opener against New Zealand at the same venue.

The evident gulf in class was nonetheless a stark warning of what Ireland will be up against for the remainder of the tournament.

Without O’Brien, their prospects of posting a challenging total were always going to be compromised – and it was discouraging to see opener Jeremy Bray’s struggles before he was comprehensively bowled for a seven-ball duck by Zaheer.

Bray’s opening partner Porterfield soon slashed a catch to slip off Zaheer – and after Andre Botha had also guided a delivery to the same position from the same bowler, at 17 for three it seemed a short match could well be in prospect.

If Ireland were to make a fist of it Kevin O’Brien, who had hit so powerfully to hasten their six-wicket victory over Bangladesh here two days ago, was the likeliest lad.

It was not to be for him this time, though – because he fell cheaply and unluckily when he dragged a pull at Pragyan Ojha’s first ball on to his stumps.

Gary Wilson would also have gone on 12, had Suresh Raina’s throw from mid-off hit the stumps.

He survived to help add 20 for the fifth wicket until Harbhajan Singh defeated an attempted drive and hit off-stump.

A ‘cheerio’ wave from the off-spinner to the departing batsman did Harbhajan no credit, however.

More honourable was another hard-working partnership for the next wicket – between top-scorer Andrew White and John Mooney, whose dismissal in the 15th over to a needless reverse-sweep at Ojha was a disappointing end to a resourceful effort.

Regan West was caught on the hop, ambling in for a second run but unfortunately airborne when Raina’s throw ricocheted off the wicketkeeper’s pads on to the stumps.

White continued to keep India at bay, and a hook for six off Irfan Pathan was just reward for his industry and determination – before he eventually edged behind to give Zaheer his final wicket.

Ninth-wicket pair Alex Cusack and Kyle McCallan accumulated 20 more runs from the last 10 balls to try to give their side something to bowl at.

It was a target which was always unlikely to tax India too much.

On a dank night, Boyd Rankin and O’Brien found enough in the pitch early on to each beat the bat – but it was not long before Gautam Gambhir and Rohit were finding the boundary with anticipated ease and regularity.

After 10 overs of milking the gaps, it was a surprise when Gambhir cut West’s left-arm spin straight into the hands of backward-point to end a stand of 77 and at least ensure Ireland’s margin of defeat was not the maximum.

Rankin returned to win a couple of minor moral victories over Mahendra Singh Dhoni – whose attempt to hit the 100th six of this tournament in the next over resulted instead in a fine, tumbling catch in the leg-side deep by Bray off McCallan.

It was nonetheless still a matter of awaiting the inevitable – and after Rohit had hit an undeserving Rankin for a towering six over long-on, the only questions remaining were whether he would reach his half-century or register that milestone maximum before the match was done.

He managed the former, with his fourth four from the 44th ball he faced, but not the latter – passing the baton on to Ireland and the Kiwis tomorrow as he finished on an unbeaten 52.

Ireland 138 for 4 (Niall O’Brien 40, Kevin O’Brien 39*) beat Bangladesh 137 for 8 (Mortaza 33*, Johnston 3-20) by six wickets…

Ireland beat Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and, pitted against the same side in a do-or-die clash in more familiar conditions, produced an encore to surge into the second stage of the World Twenty20. It will go down as one of the biggest moments in Ireland’s cricket history and this win meant that Bangladesh were ousted from the competition.

The hungrier side was always going to come up tops and by keeping a reckless Bangladesh to 137 Ireland took a massive stride. Bangladesh batted with the freedom of a team that believed they were already in the next stage and paid the price, stumbling after a shaky start. Mashrafe Mortaza’s late heroics ensured they weren’t far from a decent total, which is where some self-discipline could have changed the outcome of this game. Ireland applied themselves to their chase and got home by six wickets – the O’Brien brothers again proving their worth – to cue yells and whoops from their dug out.

Twenty20 isn’t a format where you can check in and book yourself for bed and breakfast but there still is a need for stability. Instead Bangladesh started like a runway train, scoring 30 of their first 39 runs in boundaries, despite losing a wicket early. Three boundaries in five balls are plenty, but Siddique took a silly dance down the track and started the rot.

Mohammad Ashraful briefly threatened to make Ireland pay for a drop at first slip, pulling – a la Gordon Greenidge – over deep square leg and hitting Boyd Rankin over mid-on for sixes in one over, but then again steered to slip where Kevin O’Brien atoned for his earlier lapse. Predictably, William Porterfield turned to spin as the fielding restrictions were lifted and immediately Bangladesh tried to dominate, unsuccessfully. Johnston picked up third as Shakib Al Hasan picked out long-on, before tidy spin from both ends and a sudden spring in Ireland’s step further confounded Bangladesh.

Tamim Iqbal paid the price for misjudging a single, caught inches short – and with his foot in the air after he dropped his bat – by a smart pick-and-throw from Niall O’Brien. Niall was in action minutes later, brilliantly stumping Mahmudullah, his foot an inch off the ground as he heaved, when standing up to Alex Cusack’s medium-pace. Consolidation was the need of the hour but instead of taking a couple overs to consolidate, Mahmudullah swung recklessly across the line.

This was a time for Bangladesh to take a step back. Instead they kept swinging, clearly fraught at not having managed a boundary for 71 deliveries. Johnston failed to hold on to a swirling top-edge from Mushfiqur Rahim, off the fifth ball he’d faced, but Rahim obliged by waltzing out to West and picking out long-off. Kyle McCallan bowled Raqibul Hasan on his way to exemplary figures of 4-0-17-1, but there was a bit of gas in Bangladesh’s tank still. Mortaza’s lusty hitting earned him two sixes in the final over, a handy cameo.

Mortaza then struck with the ball to dismiss Jeremy Bray in the third over Ireland’s openers started watchfully, aware that a daredevil approach could harm them. Then Niall stuck it to Mortaza, flicking three sixes with immense power in the sixth over, and taking a pair of boundaries in Mahmudullah’s first over. Niall played off the back-foot with power, but a late cut off Naeem Islam’s first ball showed he could perforate the gaps with grace too.

However, Porterfield’s sluggish approach forced Niall to improvise and he fell for 40 from 25 balls. Ireland were on track with the asking rate when Porterfield chipped a return catch to Adbur Razzak, and a similarly soft dismissal from Gary Wilson, driving the first ball of Mortaza’s second spell to extra cover, sent Bangladesh into raptures.

Ireland still needed 49 from 34 but Kevin shut the door with some clutch hits, flicking a full toss from Mortaza to fine leg, dumping Razzak over midwicket and creaming Rubel Hossain over and past extra cover twice. John Mooney wasn’t to be left behind, reverse-sweeping a four to ease the pressure, but it was Kevin who had the final word, clubbing another effortless six and sealing victory with a four off extra cover.

“I will be very disappointed if we don’t make our mark in this competition,” said Ireland coach Phil Simmons on the eve of this match. Up against a professional side in this format for the first time, Ireland did leave their mark. And how.

Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo

West Indies 134 for 1 (Gayle 88*) beat Ireland 130 for 7 (Bray 30, Benn 2-24) by 9 wickets…

Captain Chris Gayle led the way with 88 not out off 56 balls as his team got home with four overs to spare.
Openers Gayle and Andre Fletcher began their pursuit of 131 at a steady pace but there was no need to take undue risks with such a small target.

Kyle McCallan made the breakthrough when Fletcher (19) top-edged to third man but Gayle then hit the off-spinner for a six and a four in his next over, during which time the left-hander brought up a 35-ball 50. Gayle then took another two maximums from the slow bowler in this third over.

The West Indies skipper was given useful support by Ramnaresh Sarwan, in an unbeaten stand of 79 for the second wicket, and it was the latter who ended the contest at the conclusion of the 16th over when he pulled John Mooney to the boundary.

Ireland had earlier made 130-7 after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Captain Will Porterfield (5) suffered a second failure (on the back of his brief innings against Netherlands the previous day) when he edged Fidel Edwards to point in the second over.

Niall O’Brien (22), who was rested against the Dutch, quickly got into his stride but couldn’t provide the substantial total his side needed as he pulled Dwayne Bravo to midwicket.

Left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn then struck in successive overs to keep the Irish in check, including top scorer Jeremy Bray, who yorked himself and was bowled for 30.

Kevin O’Brien (20) and John Mooney (23) chipped in with useful contributions but their total was never likely to trouble the potentially explosive West Indian batting line-up.

Ireland 135 for 7 (Botha 35, Seelar 3-28) tied with Netherlands 135 for 9 (ten Doeschate 29, McCallan 3-32, Rankin 2-24). Ireland won via the Super Over….

Both sides managed 135 from their 20 overs but it was the Irish who held their nerve when each had another scheduled six balls to surmount.

Netherlands pace man Dirk Nannes did exceptionally well to restrict his opposing batsmen to just six but his team-mates only lasted four deliveries of Trent Johnston’s over in reply during which they lost the two wickets afforded to them, the last to a run out to go down by four runs.

Netherlands so nearly won the match twice but in the end they could only take comfort from the parity achieved during their 20-over contest.

Edgar Schiferli struck an early blow when defending 135 as Jeremy Bray edged behind without scoring.
The experienced seamer then claimed the crucial wicket of Ireland skipper Will Porterfield in his next over – again caught by Jeroen Smits – to leave the batting side firmly on the back-foot.

Paul Stirling (27) and Andre Botha (35) appeared to be getting dangerously behind the required rate until the former pulled Ryan ten Doeschate over midwicket for six to begin the chase in earnest.

Botha brought up the 50-partnership when he slashed Peter Borren over backward point for a boundary. A mix-up then ended with Smits coolly taking aim to run out Stirling with the batsman short of his crease going for two.

Spin bowler Pieter Seelaar bowled Kevin O’Brien in the next over to leave the match in the balance as it entered the closing stages.

Seelaar then lured Botha down the wicket in his next over and had the left-hander stumped by a delivery that turned and left the batsman. Trent Johnston kept the Irish in the hunt, however, with two boundaries in the same over.

Johnston (17) and Wilson (22) edged Ireland steadily towards their target but tight overs from Nannes during which Johnston miscued to mid-off and ten Doeschate left Ireland needing 20 from the last two overs.

Wilson took fours off the last two balls of the penultimate over – bowled by Maurits Jonkman – to leave nine to get off the last six balls.

Seelaar held his nerve better than Wilson as the slow bowler claimed his third wicket when the batsman charged out of his crease and became another stumping victim.

Regan West hit his first ball for four but could only acquire two from the next two, leaving two needed from the last delivery. Seelaar’s full toss was hit by West to midwicket for a single, meaning the game would be decided by a ‘Super Over’.

Netherlands had earlier reached 135-9 from their 20 overs with ten Doeschate top-scoring on 29.

Ireland kept a tight rein on the batting side during the Powerplay overs with Peter Connell dismissing Alexei Kervezee in the second over before Boyd Rankin removed Bas Zuiderent (9), following a brief flurry, when he pulled to West at wide mid-on.

Opener Darron Reekers hit the first six of the innings during an 18-ball 20 but he was removed before he could do too much damage when he was bowled by West as the right-hander backed away to cut through the off-side.

Eric Szwarczynski was then run out, attempting a third run on a mis-field by West on the boundary, as the Netherlands stuttered to 66-4 at the halfway stage Daan van Bunge (18) added 41 with ten Doeschate but he was the next to go when he pulled Kyle McCallan to Bray at midwicket.

Ten Doeschate brought up the 100 with a flowing cover driven four off Connell and Borren further boosted the Dutch with successive sixes off Kyle McCallan in the 16th over.

The latter fell in the next over, however, as he looked to fetch the ball from outside off-stump onto the leg-side but could only loop up a simple catch to Connell behind square.

Ten Doeschate then yorked himself as he advanced down the track and was bowled by McCallan after top-scoring with 29. Schiferli departed next ball when he missed a sweep and was adjudged leg before.

Nannes could only touch a probing Rankin delivery to Wilson behind the stumps, as the innings tailed off, but the Dutch player’s work was only just beginning.