The Netherlands secured third place in the World Cricket League on Monday in a tightly-fought match against Ireland.

The game was reduced to 46 overs a side after overnight rain had once again leaked under the covers at the Gymkhana ground - a repeated occurrence which must surely be causing the ICC and the Kenyan authorities some concern. But the ground staff worked hard to repair the damage, and play got under way just two hours late.

Stand-in Irish skipper Kyle McCallan - Trent Johnston being yet another victim of the stomach troubles which have afflicted most of the teams - won the toss and put the Dutch in.

Aware of the need to post a convincing victory in order to improve their net run rate, and with a weather eye on events at Jaffrey where Canada were taking on Kenya, Dutch openers Bas Zuiderent and Darron Reekers began aggressively, with Reekers particularly hard on the Irish attack.

He rode his luck: he was dropped by Kevin O'Brien when on 10, and again by Paul Mooney shortly after he reached his first-ever ODI half-century. But he hit the ball cleanly and hard, and he reached that fifty from only 33 balls, with 5 fours and 3 sixes.

Zuiderent was playing more circumspectly, but he too took advantage of anything loose, and the pair brought up a record century stand in the 22nd over. With the total on 114, Zuiderent was caught by William Porterfield off André Botha's bowling, and the Irish had more cause for celebration three overs later when Jeremy Bray caught Ryan ten Doeschate at mid-on off McCallan.

Daan van Bunge was run out shortly afterwards, but Eric Szwarczynski, playing for the first time in the tournament, now joined Reekers, who had survived two more chances and moved on to 96. He duly completed his hundred, off 73 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes, and was eventually run out for 104, a superb innings for his side.

Szwarczynski batted with great assurance in the closing stages, reaching his first ODI fifty from 60 balls in the second-last over, and despite the loss of three wickets in the final run chase, The Netherlands closed on 260 for seven.

They had an early breakthrough when Ireland replied, Reekers trapping Bray leg before in the tenth over, but Porterfield and Eoin Morgan now came together in a record 153-run partnership for the second wicket. While they were together the game seemed to be swinging Ireland's way, with the required rate never rising much above seven an over.

Dutch skipper Luuk van Troost varied his attack well, and with Muhammad Kashif bowling a comparatively economical seven-over spell for 30, and Tim de Leede again bowling a good spell, The Netherlands maintained the pressure.

Morgan, who had hit 7 fours and 4 sixes, eventually hit over the top once too often and was caught by Zuiderent at long off from ten Doeschate's bowling for 94, made off 91 balls. This was the signal for a remarkable Irish collapse, as Niall O'Brien was trapped leg before by Edgar Schiferli, Porterfield's long innings came to an end when he holed out to substitute Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg for 84 in the same over, and Kevin O'Brien was bowled by ten Doeschate in the next.

195 for one had become 202 for five in the space of three overs, and Ireland were suddenly struggling.

Peter Borren came back into the attack, Andrew White hit a second catch to Kervezee, and much now depended on skipper McCallan. He made 25 at better than a run a ball to keep his side in the game, but once he was bowled by ten Doeschate and David Langford-Smith was caught off the next ball - the fourth time in the tournament that ten Doeschate has taken wickets with consecutive balls - the game was almost up.

22 were now needed from ten balls, and although brothers John and Paul Mooney fought hard, ten Doeschate and Borren were able to make sure they fell seven runs short.

Ten Doeschate finished with four for 56 from his ten overs, but Reekers won the Man of the Match award for his match-winning hundred.