KEVIN O'Brien took his three pound hammer to the Dutch yesterday, as Ireland cruised into a playoff with Namibia for a place in the ICC World Twenty20 finals.

It was a powerful display by Ireland, who sauntered past the target for the loss of three wickets with 21 balls to spare.

Their European rivals were no match for a team that have now won their past eleven encounters between the sides.

Just a year ago Kevin O'Brien was a star of the fifty over World Cup, and he is now coming into form here with bat and ball.

He arrived at this event expecting only to bowl in emergencies, but has now taken nine wickets in 14 overs.
"Since John Mooney and Alex Cusack have gone home injured I've been required more than I expected," O'Brien said.

"I've been lucky because this pitch is a bit slower which suited me."

Before the game it was announced that Tim Murtagh had joined the squad, but he was not selected in an unchanged side.

Porterfield was keen to get first use of the pitch, and Ireland again struck early to remove the openers. Michael Swart moved back to pull Boyd Rankin and was bowled, while Stephan Myburgh went to a stunning catch off Trent Johnston. Porterfield ran 20 metres back, leaning backwards to take the catch as he fell, facing the stands.
Kervezee and Cooper steadied the Dutch barge, and the period after the powerplay was their best.

From 18-2 off five, they took the score to 72-2 off 12 when Tom Cooper - just like that - made a fatal blunder.
Facing O'Brien's first ball of the day, he spun around to reverse sweep but missed and was given out leg before.
At that stage a target of 140 plus was on, but the middle order fell away badly. Barresi pottered around to make six off 16 balls, while Kervezee also struggled to get on top of tight bowling and fielding.

A batting mix-up led to a run out, but a fielding foul-up meant the pedestrian Barresi was dismissed rather than Kervezee.

George Dockrell made amends two balls later by holding a sharp return catch to dismiss the top scorer for 56.
Peter Borren hit only the second four since the ninth over, but Ireland's stranglehold was never released and a total off 114-7 was far below par.

The Irish opening batsmen have twice chased totals here without needing help from the rest of the order.
That looked on again, but with the score on 41 Porterfield got under Pieter Seelar's second ball and was held just inside the rope at long on. Paul Stirling was dropped next ball.

Before the game there was a ceremony to mark Stirling's 100th cap. it is a measure of how much cricket Ireland now play that the 21-year-old has also missed 41 games since his debut exactly four years ago.

He was all set to mark the occasion with a fifty, but was trapped in front by Michael Swart, and then next ball Gary Wilson steered the ball to slip.

But they were the last two wickets to all, as Ed Joyce settled in to play support as O'Brien hit six after six to claim the man of the match award. He hit three maximums in his 30 in a stand of 42.

Porterfield paid tribute to Rankin and Johnston: "The way they kept the Dutch batsmen quiet in the first six overs won us the game," he said.