The Irish commenced their tournament campaign with what, in the end, was a comfortable six-wickets victory over Guernsey, but at several stages in the match things had been very differently poised.

Guernsey skipper Tom Nightingale (47 off 63 balls) had chosen to bat first, a decision which looked more than justified as he and Nairn Guilbert (a belligerent 37) compiled 83 for the first wicket.

Having then lost their top three for only 24 additional runs, Guernsey may have feared collapse, but consecutive stands of 55 and 43 took them past 200.

Daniel Le Mesurier provided some late impetus with a brutal 28 (20 balls, 5 fours, and a six), while Rory Betley (53*) played serenely at the other end, raising his bat to the pavilion towards the close of the Guernsey innings.

Fiachra Tucker, delivering ten overs for only 29, was the pick of the nine bowlers used by the Irish, while Ben White claimed 2 for 35.

The pursuit of 240, even on grounds as small and fast as those here at Rugby, is far from easy and when Ireland were reduced to 38 for 3, all the wickets going to Fazakerley, that target seemed a distance away.

However, a crucial fourth-wicket stand of 112 between Tucker (68 from 67 balls, with 13 boundaries) and Rory Anders, and then an unbroken partnership of 91 between Anders and David Delany, first brought Ireland back into the game, then took it away from Guernsey.

Anders finished undefeated on 74 and Delany on 43, Ireland winning with as many as fourteen overs to spare.