ICC Europe/CricketEurope

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The Netherlands took a large step towards reaching the global qualifying tournament for the 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup on Wednesday, securing a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Scotland at Les Quennevais.

Ireland, meanwhile, maintained their winning ways with an equally overwhelming eight-wicket win over Denmark and are already the only undefeated team after just two rounds of matches, while hosts Jersey kept their hopes alive with a five-wicket victory over Guernsey.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Scots were kept under pressure by the Dutch new-ball pairing of Olivier Klaus and Paul van Meekeren, who took three wickets between them in the first ten overs to reduce their opponents to 42 for three.

Freddie Coleman and Matthew Parker added 42 for the fourth wicket and then Parker and Craig Wallace put on 49 for the fifth, but each time Scotland seemed about to take control, the Dutch bowlers would strike back by claiming a wicket.

Coleman was stumped by Stijn Allema off leg-spinner Lucas Brouwers for 29, but it was Klaus who struck two vital blows by dismissing first Wallace for an enterprising 30, and then Parker for a patient, 91-ball 45.

Skipper Calvin Burnett then took over, and his not-out 51, made off only 41 deliveries, was instrumental in getting his side up to a reasonably challenging total of 229 for seven.

Alexei Kervezee and Allema started off the Dutch reply in the same vein in which they had opened against Ireland on Tuesday, but this time they were not separated until there were 217 runs on the board and victory was already in sight.

Kervezee, a seasoned international and English county professional, batted with enormous assurance, and although he gave a couple of half-chances his innings of 137 not out, made from 129 deliveries with 13 fours and two sixes, will surely rank among the most outstanding individual achievements of the tournament.

Although more restrained, Allema also batted very well, and his 76, from 127 balls with 6 boundaries, was almost equally valuable for his side.

The Scottish bowlers stuck to their task well, especially considering that it was the 42nd over before they achieved their first and only success, with seamers Patrick Sadler and Burnett causing the batsmen some problems, and left-arm spinner Keith Morton also restricting the scoring until he came back towards the end and was hit for two huge sixes by Kervezee.

Ireland gained their second win of the tournament after a convincing eight-wicket victory over Denmark at FB Fields.

Chasing a modest Danish total of just 111 for victory, skipper Andrew Balbirnie led from the front, hitting an unbeaten 64 from just 69 balls. He hit 4 fours and two sixes, sharing in a first wicket stand of 73 in 14 overs with Lee Nelson, who made 20.

Nelson edged Shah behind to present wicketkeeper Navabi with the easiest of opportunities. James Shannon joined Balbirnie, and the pair batted with great assurance, taking the Irish to the brink of victory, before Shannon was run out for 16 with the scores level.

Three balls later it was all over, and Ireland continue to justify their tag as tournament favourites.

The writing was on the wall for the Danes from the very first ball of the day, when Warwickshire’s Shane Getkate bowled Khan. Ali Ahmed and Shuaib Rashid both made 10, before the dramatic introduction of Graeme McCarter.

The medium pacer, currently on the books of Gloucestershire, took three wickets in the one over, and suddenly the precarious situation of 31 for 2, became a nightmarish 31 for 5. Eddie Richardson (3-18) got in on the act and with the total on 46-7, a finish before lunch looked likely.

Sonny Nielsen led a rescue of sorts, as he top scored with 48 from 93 deliveries, striking six boundaries. His resistance galvanised the lower order, but a final total of 110 was never going to seriously trouble the much vaunted Irish batting line-up, even with the prolific Paul Stirling confined to his hotel with illness.

Inter-insular contests between Guernsey and Jersey are generally tense, closely-fought, affairs and Wednesday's meeting at Grainville was no exception. Jersey eventually emerged as five-wicket winners after both sides failed to capitalise on good starts by their bowlers.

Batting first after winning the toss, Guernsey made a poor start as they lost five wickets for just 44 against a disciplined Jersey attack.

It was Jonathan Clark who once again rescued his team, just as he had done against Denmark yesterday. A partnership of 31 with Adam Martel steadied the Guernsey innings and this was followed by a 32-run stand with Kimber before Clark fell to a catch off the bowling of Charles Perchard for 41, made from 87 deliveries.

Two more wickets then fell immediately to leave Guernsey at 120 for nine, but a late flurry from Andrew Hutchinson saw them to a total of 147. Pick of the Jersey bowlers was Ben Stevens, who took three wickets in his ten overs, conceding just 19 runs. Aidan McGuire folowed up his two early successes with another in his final spell to finish with three for 25.

A target of 147 didn't appear to be too demanding a task for the Jersey batting line-up which had performed so well against Scotland. However, Hutchinson struck almost immediately to remove John Borg with the score on 5. Ben de Figueiredo and Thomas Gibbs then came together and seemed to have taken control of the game until Gibbs was well caught by Max Ellis.

Wickets then fell at regular intervals as David Hooper picked up three wickets to leave Jersey struggling at 87 for five and Guernsey feeling that they had a good chance of winning a game that had seemed to have been lost.

However, sensible shot selection and good running between the wickets by Anthony Kay and Timothy de la Haye took command of the match for Jersey. An unbeaten partnership of 61 in just 15 overs saw their side home to victory, Kay finishing on 39 from 65 balls, while De la Haye made 27 from 42 balls.