ICC/CricketEurope

Ireland’s defence of their European title took another step at Clontarf on Monday when they extended their unbeaten run of European championship matches to ten with a comfortable seven-wicket victory over a disappointing Dutch side.

The Irish were superior in all departments, taking the game by the scruff of the neck early on when Peter Connell and Kevin O’Brien reduced The Netherlands to 46 for five after 13 overs.

It was an important toss to win in the overcast conditions, and William Porterfield had no hesitation in giving his bowlers the opportunity to attack the Dutch batting.

The Netherlands, coming off the back of their mammoth total against Norway, were equally determined to counter-attack, and there were five boundaries in the first seven overs before Tom de Grooth was caught by Alex Cusack off Connell’s bowling.

Mudassar Bukhari again failed at three, lasting just three balls before top-edging O’Brien to Gary Wilson at backward point.

Then Darron Reekers holed out to Kyle McCallan at mid-off in O’Brien’s next over, and in the next Daan van Bunge spooned a catch over Porterfield’s head at cover, and the Irish captain turned and dived full length to hold on to the chance.

That made it 41 for four, and in the following over from Connell Peter Borren nicked a good ball to Niall O’Brien behind the stumps. 46 for five, and The Netherlands were in profound disarray.

Eric Szwarczynski was now joined by Henk-Jan Mol, and these two set about restoring their side’s fortunes with a determined stand of 58. They had to fight their way through some testing overs from André Botha, Cusack and Kyle McCallan, but when the total passed the hundred in the 28th over without further loss it still seemed possible that the Dutch would register a defensible total.

Soon afterwards, however, Mol chased a widish ball from Botha and was caught behind, and four balls later Szwarczynski made to cut McCallan and was bowled. His 33 came off 58 balls, with five boundaries.

Geert Maarten Mol and Jeroen Smits got the total up to 127 before Mol was trapped leg-before by Botha, and then two run-outs brought the innings to a close with the total on 142.

Kevin O’Brien finished with three for 30, Botha two for 26, and Connell two for 37.

The Dutch bowlers clearly needed to be at their best defending such a modest total, with plenty of support from their fielders and a bit of luck thrown in. None of these things eventuated.

Edgar Schiferli and Mudassar Bukhari turned in decent opening spells, and when first Wilson was caught behind hooking at Bukhari and Porterfield edged Schiferli to Reekers at slip, the Irish were 25 for two and the Dutch saw a glimmer of light.

It was a false dawn, however, as Niall O’Brien and Botha put on 89 in seventeen overs in a match-winning third-wicket partnership. Both batted with supreme confidence, and although they enjoyed a measure of good fortune, they took full advantage of the loose deliveries which came along too frequently for The Netherlands to be able to apply any real pressure.

A crucial moment came when O’Brien edged Schiferli to Van Bunge at second slip and was dropped, and thereafter the Irish batsmen were in few difficulties, the pitch now playing much more easily than it had earlier on.

Botha eventually clipped Pieter Seelaar to Szwarczynski at mid-on, having made 38 from 43 balls with six boundaries, but O’Brien, who had reached his half-century from 61 balls continued to the end, supported by a bright, 27-ball 22 not out from Andrew White.

The Northamptonshire player finished on 58 not out, made from 80 balls with 8 fours, as Ireland reached their target with 21 overs to spare.