In the fifth place play-off Ireland claimed its first win of the T20Is' when it beat the Netherlands by 42 runs.

Ireland came out positive and when Ciara Metcalfe won the toss and chose to bat first, Nikki Symmons did well to score 86 off 48 balls, steering her side to an imposing target of 179-5 at the end of its allotted 20 overs.

Netherlands made a promising start when Miranda Veringmeier contributed to two 50-run partnerships with Carlijn de Groot and captain, Helmien Ramboldo.

Their dismissals and the slow run-rate of 6.85 an over, when the required run-rate to win was 8.95, meant that the team was never going to make the required target and finished its innings with 137-4.

For some of the teams the ICC Women's Cricket Challenge was its first taste at playing against five different teams outside of the ICC Women's World Cup and the ICC Women's World Twenty20, and the coaches involved have been grateful for the opportunity to develop their players in the event.

Ireland coach Stephen Moreton said: “This event is hugely important - I don't think the women's game can grow if it doesn't happen regularly.

“We struggled with development because it's only now and again that the girls experience quality opposition in quality conditions and if there's any intention to grow the women's game, this kind of event needs to happen regularly.”

South Africa coach Yashnin Ebrahim added that he believed tournaments like the ICC Women's Cricket Challenge were key to the development of women's cricket in the countries ranked outside of the top four Full Members.

“Having come in from coaching a men's domestic side and coming here to Potchefstroom in my first major event as coach of the South African women's team, I see the importance and need for teams rated from five to 10 to play regular cricket.

“In order to close the gap between the top four, and teams from five to 10, there needs to be more tours, tournaments and games like the ones we've played over the last ten days,” said Ebrahim.



Score Summaries:

At NWU1: West Indies beat Netherlands by 99 runs

West Indies 191-4, 20 overs (King 81; Hannema 1-17, Kornet 1-31)

Netherlands 92 all out, 19.5 overs (de Groot 23; Mohammed 2-11, Munroe 1-9)



At NWU2: Pakistan beat Ireland by 5 runs

Pakistan 111-6, 20 overs (Abidi 39; Delany 2-16, Garth 2-17)

Ireland 106-7, 20 overs (Garth 20; Dar 2-9, Iqbal 2-16)



Final at NWU1: West Indies beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets

Sri Lanka 83-9, 20 overs (Kumarihami 20; Smartt 1-6, King 1-8)

West Indies 85-2, 10.4 overs (Dottin 39; Siriwardene 1-15, Kaushalya1-25)



Third/Fourth play-off at NWU2: South Africa beat Pakistan by 6 wickets

Pakistan 98-3, 20 overs (Khan 34; Taai 3-9, van Niekerk 2-13)

South Africa 94-4, 19 overs (Brits 38 not out; Dar 2-15, Imtiaz 2-18)



Fifth/Sixth play-off at Witrand: Ireland beat Netherlands by 42 runs

Ireland 179-5, 20 overs (Symmons 86; Braat 1-28, Lanser 1-36)

Netherlands 137-4, 20 overs (Veringmeier 60; Garth 1-18, Delany 1-23)