Kenya dealt defending champion Scotland a big blow to its hopes of winning one of the four qualifying spots for the ICC Cricket World Cup after medium pacers Nehemiah Odhiambo and Lameck Ngoche took seven wickets between them at Stan Friedman Oval in Krugersdorp.

It was a day for the bowlers as, after electing to bat, Kenya struggled all the way through its innings. Only Collins Obuya managed to pass 30 for the east Africans as they posted a modest total of 178 with John Blain picking up four wickets.

But as they have done throughout this tournament so far, the Scots looked nervous at the crease and although Gavin Hamilton, Jan Stander and Craig Wright all got starts, they never looked fully at ease on a track that offered plenty to both spinner and seamer.

This defeat leaves Scotland on four points with two games to play and unless it wins its remaining games (against the UAE and Afghanistan) they can almost certainly kiss their World Cup dreams goodbye for another four years.

Elsewhere, Afghanistan's miraculous odyssey towards the World Cup would appear to be over after suffering a six-wicket defeat to Canada at LC de Villiers Oval in Pretoria. Noor Ali (122) and Norooz Mangal (49) had given Canada some real cause for concern at half-time as the Afghans posted a hefty total of 265-8 off 50 overs.

But, on a good batting track, Rizwan Cheema, who had been the pick of his team's bowlers with 3-41 off 10 overs, got Canada off to a typically rapid start scoring 46 off 23 balls (eight fours, two sixes) and although there was a brief stutter as Afghanistan took two quick wickets, Ian Billcliff (96 not out) and Ashish Bagai (68) batted sensibly to put their team on eight points almost certainly giving them a place in the next World Cup.

Mathematically, Afghanistan can still qualify but it would take a strange and unlikely chain of events to hand captain Mangal and his team a World Cup berth.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands took a huge step forward towards qualification today by beating Namibia in a thrilling game at Benoni. Set a challenging target of 259 to win after Sarel Burger (51), Raymond van Schoor (50) and Craig Williams (43) had batted well, the Dutchmen slumped to 14-2 as Louis Klazinga and Gerrie Snyman struck early.

But then Ryan ten Doeschate took control of the situation and stroked the ball to all parts of Willowmoore Park for a magnificent 134 not out. Although Alexei Kervezee (52) and Peter Borren (33) made significant contributions, wickets did fall at the other end at regular intervals as Namibia's bowlers tried to force the game in their favour. But ten Doeschate stood firm and brought the Netherlands home by just two wickets, putting his team in a strong position on six points.

After being shocked by Afghanistan on Saturday, Ireland returned to winning ways and all but guaranteed itself a place in the World Cup 2011 with an eight-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates at the WITS University ground. Three wickets from Regan West and two each from Trent Johnston and Boyd Rankin made sure the UAE could manage just 133 all out with only Fayyaz Ahmed (66) putting up a decent resistance.

In reply, the result never looked in doubt as Gary Wilson (49), captain William Porterfield (37) and Eoin Morgan (30 not out) knocked off the runs with relative ease.

All these results get us closer to finding out which four teams will join the 10 Full Members at the World Cup but, in theory at least, all eight still have a chance of getting there and none is a definite shoo-in.

Such are the possible permutations that even Afghanistan or Namibia (but not both) could still qualify if other results were to go their way while even Ireland or Canada (both not both) could find itself outside the top four when the dust settles on this hard-fought and thrilling tournament.

In the ninth/10th-place play-off, a high-scoring match at Potchefstroom Cricket Ground finished in a remarkable win for Bermuda. Set the huge target of 353 to win, David Hemp scored his second century in succession as Bermuda finished the tournament strongly, getting home with an amazing eight wickets and nine balls to spare.

Hemp, who finished unbeaten on an incredible 141-ball 170 (11 fours, five sixes) was well supported along the way by Stephen Outerbridge, whose 107 came off just 99 balls and included eight fours and three sixes. Bermuda will feel if it had hit this sort of form earlier in the group stage its tournament might have been so much different.

Earlier Nehal Bibodi (109) scored his second century in a row as Uganda made Bermuda's bowlers suffer in the Potchefstroom sunshine before the Atlantic islanders returned the compliment with interest later on.

And in the other game of the day, the already-relegated Oman and Denmark fought it out at Potchefstroom University with the men from the Arabian Gulf coming out on top by five wickets. Captain Hemal Mehta took 5-29 as Denmark was reduced to 220 with Michael Pedersen top scoring on 70. In response, Adnan Ilyas (89 not out) and Awal Khan (69) made sure Oman finished the tournament in 11th place with Denmark bringing up the rear in 12th.