Scotland took a huge step towards retaining their European Under 15 Division 1 title at Het Schootsveld in Deventer on Tuesday, shooting Ireland out for 76 in just 24.4 overs, and then knocking off the runs in 16.2 overs for the loss of only two wickets.

Guernsey, too, made it two out of two by beating the Netherlands in a close game at Utrecht, while in the other match in Deventer Jersey recovered from yesterday's defeat by Scotland with a comfortable 71-run victory over Denmark.

Having again won the toss and elected to bat, Ireland soon found themselves in the same sort of trouble they had experienced early on against the Netherlands on Monday, but this time there was to be no recovery. Darren Nicol and James McCollum got them to 37 for two after the quick dismissal of both openers, but once these two were gone, McCollum, on 19, becoming the first of four victims for slow elft-armer Chris Cash, the collapse began in earnest.

With seamer Lyle Hill picking up two wickets at the other end, Cash ran through the middle and lower order, and at one point was on a hat trick as Ireland subsided to 57 for nine. James Magee and Dean Curry added 19 for the last wicket, but with Cash finishing with four for 16 and two wickets apiece for Haris Chaudhry, Will Edwards and Hill, it was a thoroughly dominant performance from the Scots attack.

Scotland had few problems reaching their target, to the extent that the match was over by lunchtime. Edwards led the way with 23, and Andrew Umeed hit a 26-ball 29 to see them home.

Hosts the Netherlands, too, were in early difficulties against Guernsey, Matthew Stokes picking up three quick wickets, and they were eventually dismissed for 103. Captain Wessel Coster, a hero of the opening match with the ball, this time top-scored with the bat, making a patient 18, and the only other players to reach double figures were opener Tim Etman with 13 and tail-ender Vivian Kingma with 11.

Stokes finished with three for 16, while captain and leg-spinner Joshua Kirk claimed three for 10 in a fine nine-over spell.

Guernsey did not find batting easy either, but Kirk completed an excellent all-round display by making 30 from 41 deliveries, and they reached their target with six and a half overs to spare and three wickets in hand. Joost van Kessel was the most successful of the Dutch bowlers with two for 12.

Jersey recorded the highest total of the day, Edward Fricker making 52 as they posted 168 for nine against Denmark. Luke Gallichan having contributed 25 and Jack Maton 20, they were well placed at 92 for three, but Danish skipper Mati Malik struck back with four for 21 in the later stages of the innings.

It always seemed likely to be too many for the Danes, however, who soon found themselves reduced to 38 for five. Malik played a patient captain's innings in top-scoring with 28, but with Rhys Palmer taking three for 10 in nine overs Denmark were eventually all out for 97 in 40.3 overs.

Wednesday's schedule will pit the two unbeaten sides, Scotland and Guernsey, against one another in Deventer in what may be one of the keenest contests of the week.