Ireland edged home by 17 runs against the Netherlands in what was easily the best match of the tournament so far.

Batting first, the Irish had been on course to set a daunting target. Despite losing the in-form Colin Currie for 30, Fiachra Tucker and Andrew Delany had taken their team to 85-1 at the half-way point in the innings.

A devastating spell of slow bowling from Tushar Sharma, however, completely reversed the flow of the innings. Sharma returned figures of 10-0-33-4, all of his victims top-order batsmen, as the Irish lost their last nine wickets for only 45 runs.

Sharma was well supported by Pieter de Graaff, who bowled ten tidy overs, while three sharp run-outs from Dutch fielders complemented a generally efficient performance with the ball.

However, following the twelve overs bowled before lunch, things did not look quite so rosy for the Dutch: three key wickets had fallen for 42, and the match was evenly poised.

After the interval, David Delany changed the complexion of this topsy-turvy encounter once again, claiming his third and fourth wickets to leave the Netherlands reeling at 53-5.

Yet, from here, the Dutch clawed their way back to parity, then inched their noses ahead. Bas de Leede and Rens van Troost batted maturely, sharing a partnership of 53 and reducing the runs required to only 35.

The key, however, was that Ireland's main bowlers had overs remaining. Rory Anders (2-22) finished his spell, trapping van Troost in front. Then Ryan MacBeth returned, hitting the stumps in successive balls to make it 116-8.

After this, de Leede soldiered on, but when he fell victim to an outstanding return catch from Delany, who in the process completed a priceless and deserved five-for, the Irish had the game by the throat. MacBeth (3-25), clean bowling a third batsman, ended things in the next over.

It was a pulsating match, swinging this way and that; the Dutch may regret leaving 37 balls unused, Ireland will certainly be relieved that not using 33 of their own was not costly.

The Netherlands now lie fourth in the table, without a win so far. Ireland, on the other hand, lead the table and know that victory against the Scots on Sunday will see them regain a title they last held in 2007.