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Decisive as Scotland’s victory over The Netherlands on Monday had been, they were themselves comprehensively beaten by Ireland on Tuesday.

Scottish openers Lois Wilkinson and Priyanaz Chatterji again scored the lion’s share of their side’s runs, but this time their opening stand only extended to 40 before Emma Ryan, coming on as the sixth of Ireland’s bowlers, immediately secured the breakthrough as Wilkinson, having made 17, chased a wide delivery and chipped it to Laura Delany at mid-off.

Chatterji stood firm, batting throughout the innings until she was last out, tickling a legside delivery from Delany to keeper Aisling Gill. She had made an extremely patient, 97-ball 23, but no other Scottish batsman was able to muster more than 3 as the side collapsed to 85 all out in 32.3 overs.

Ryan followed up her dismissal of Wilkinson by removing Lynne Dickson and Samantha Haggo to finish with three for 7 from three overs; Shauna Kavanagh claimed two for 14; opening bowler Kimberley Garth came back to take two for 19; and Delany took two for 7 in 7.3 economical overs, claiming three catches into the bargain.

The Irish attack proved the most disciplined to have been seen so far, and it was backed up by sound catching and enthusiastic fielding, a combination to which the Scottish batsmen had no effective answer.

And when Ireland replied, chasing such a modest total, openers Delany and Garth went about their task with great composure, Garth making 18 before she was bowled by Nadia Wheeler with the total on 52.

But the Scots, too, bowled more tightly than they had on Monday, showing great fighting qualities, with Wheeler, Wilkinson and 13-year-old Briony Gillin in particular maintaining a good line and keeping the pressure on the Irish batsmen.

Gillin removed Louise McCarthy with the score on 65, and then Lynne Dickson brought herself into the attack and claimed the wicket first of Kavanagh and then, with the scores level, that of Hannah de Burgh.

Delany was still there, however, batting confidently, and she remained not out on 40, made from 84 deliveries, when she hit the winning run from the first ball of the 28th over to give Ireland a 6-wicket victory.