CRICKET:IRELAND COMPLETED a clean sweep of their group matches at the World Cricket League in the Netherlands yesterday as the host country lost their last six wickets for just six runs to give Phil Simmons's side a 39-run victory at Amstelveen.
They will now play Scotland in today’s decider at the same venue after they survived a nervy ending against Afghanistan to win by two wickets in Rotterdam.
Ireland had already booked their place in the final after four straight wins, but they looked set for defeat yesterday until the Dutch collapsed in spectacular fashion to teenage spinners George Dockrell and Paul Stirling.
Defending a modest total of 177, Ireland’s opening bowlers John Mooney and Kevin O’Brien took a wicket each in the opening overs.
But it was 17-year-old Dockrell who would change the course of the game, taking a wicket in each of his first two overs to reduce the Dutch to 59 for four at the end of the 12th over.
Still well ahead on run-rate, the home side then put together the best stand of the match as Bas Zuiderent and skipper Peter Borren added 73 for the fifth wicket.
Left-armer Dockrell was to have a further say in his third spell, bowling Borren for 47 and picking up the wicket of Atse Buurman to finish with figures of four for 35 from his 10 overs, his best in one-day internationals.
Reduced to 133 for six, Zuiderent held the key to Dutch hopes of getting the 45 runs they needed to secure victory.
Stirling, who had bowled his first five overs for just 10 runs, claimed his wicket with the first delivery of his sixth, thanks to an outstanding catch from The Hills’ Albert van der Merwe at short fine leg. Three balls later wicket-keeper Rory McCann brilliantly held on to a bottom edge from the bat of Adeel Raja to give Stirling his second wicket.
The 19-year-old didn’t need any help as he made it four wickets in 11 deliveries to end the game, taking two return catches to dismiss Bernard Loots and Mohammad Kashif.
Stirling took the man of the match award for ODI best figures of four for 11 added to the 33 runs he scored at the top of the Ireland innings.
