In a dramatic finish Ireland tied with the Netherlands and thus ensured qualification for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015 with two games to spare.
This is the third successive time that Ireland have qualified and the victory also means that Ireland will receive funding of 1million US dollars, which will contribute to the development of the best non-test playing team in world cricket.
Needing 269 to win the Dutch always appeared to be ahead of the game needing just 59 runs off 52 balls with six wickets in hand. Van Bunge and Cooper had added 68 runs off 71 balls and were cruising until Kevin O’Brien had van Bunge LBW for 45 and turned the pressure back on the Dutch.
However Cooper and Dutch skipper Peter Borren brought the target to 31 of 24 balls when the game changed on the next two balls. Borren smashed Dockrell to the deep mid-wicket boundary only for Ed Joyce to not only drop the catch but palm it over the boundary for six.
At that point the game was won for the Dutch but inexplicably Borren repeated the shot and Joyce made no mistake.
If you give this Ireland team a sniff of victory they invariably jump all over it. Cooper was magnificently caught by Porterfield off Kevin O’Brien and Cusack then produced a superb over conceding only three runs and also brought another wicket.
The Netherlands needed thirteen off the final over and lost a wicket to the second ball as John Mooney decided that slow bouncers was the way to go. With 11 needed of two balls Rippon smashed a four and then a dramatic six to tie the game.
That six meant that the Dutch moved above Scotland into second place on superior run rate and qualification is back in their own hands. They will be very disappointed not to win however as five of their batsmen for between 35 and 46 runs.
If even one of them had gone on to sixty they would have been home and dry. That they didn’t was in large measure due to a brilliant spell of bowling by Paul Stirling who took two wickets for just 37 runs of his ten overs. Porterfield apart from his catch also sensationally ran out Swart. Kevin O’Brien may have failed with the bat today but more than compensated with three crucial wickets.
Earlier on yet another sunny hot day in Amsterdam Ireland again won the toss and batted. Both teams were unchanged from Sunday’s encounter. Porterfield and Stirling got Ireland off to a fine start putting on 73 for the first wicket before Porterfield was bowled by Swart for 30 in the 14th over. Stirling and Ed Joyce took the score to 97 when Stirling played a lazy shot against the left arm unorthodox spinner Rippon and was caught for 49.
This brought Niall O’Brien to the crease and he and Joyce put together a splendid partnership of 113 in just over 23 overs and never looked in any trouble against a Dutch attack that bowled with discipline but lacked penetration. O’Brien reached his second successive half century with 4 fours before being bowled by Cooper.
For once Kevin O’Brien failed, only contributing 4 before being caught on the boundary trying to force the pace. At this point Ireland appeared set to make 300 but despite another superb and classy innings by Joyce, Ireland couldn’t maintain the run rate to reach that total. Joyce ended up 96 not out and he certainly deserved to reach another century.
The Dutch bowlers stuck to their task with Swart in particular bowling an economical ten over spell and took one wicket for 44 runs. While Bukhari was the only bowler to take 2 wickets he was expensive conceding 63 runs in his ten overs.
So the Ireland band wagon keeps rolling. Next stop is the match against England to open the new ground at Malahide in September. There is room for 11,500 people. Make sure you are there. This incredible group of players deserve the support of all sports fans.
Odran Flynn
Image: ©INPHO/Presseye/Rowland White
