At the quarter-final stage (where Ireland lost all three matches in 1994) two wins and a defeat are usually sufficient to progress another step. Ireland's opponents were Holland, Bangladesh and Hong Kong (who had ousted Bermuda). It was generally accepted that Ireland would lose to Bangladesh but win against Hong Kong. So this first match against Holland had to be won.
It has to be said that luck favoured Ireland at this stage of the Tournament. In this match Holland made 211 for eight and Ireland were 91 for three in 23 overs when rain finished the match. 121 were needed in 27 overs but Curry, Lewis and Benson were all out. The "Duckworth-Lewis" system of setting fairer targets in the second innings, should rain interfere, was used in this match. It takes into account the capacity of overs lost plus wickets down at the time. The previous normal run rate would have decreed that Ireland should be 98 after 23 overs regardless of wickets down. Duckworth-Lewis set the target at 86 with three wickets down but it would have been 100 with four out.
Ireland made one change. Graham had played his first, and indeed only, match against Singapore. Eagleson replaced him.
Sent in on another hot day, and on the same ground as the Singapore match was played, Holland started badly. Tim de Leede was now Holland's Captain. He and his opening partner Lefebvre (recently playing for Glamorgan), both fell to Gillespie. De Leede had his off bail trimmed when straight driving at 17 while Lefebvre was out to a good catch by Eagleson jumping at mid-on at 28 in the ninth over. Patterson bowled five overs at the start for 29 with only two wides. There were three fours in his last over.
The youthful and talented Zuiderent started fluently and went to 21 off 14 balls. He was then harnessed by Harrison, McCrum and Doak so that his final score of 38 took 69 balls. Eagleson's second over went for 13, the score moving from 47 to 60 in this 14th over. Two chances had gone down from van Troost in successive overs, to Gillespie and Andrew Patterson. However, Eagleson struck back at 62, having van Troost caught at the wicket attempting a cut. 62-3-15. Zuiderent and Van Oosterom put on 33 in nine overs. Gillespie had done a great job bowling nine overs for 20. Now Harrison and McCrum were on. At 93 Van Oosterom lobbed the ball to the wicketkeeper on the leg side off Harrison.
100 was up in 27 overs. Doak replaced McCrum and dismissed Zuiderent at 109. He pushed forward and was caught at the wicket. From this point Holland did very well to get another 102 runs in 20 overs. That they did so was due to Peter Cantrell who hails from Queensland. He scored 53 not out in 74 balls and marshalled the tail enders. His sixth wicket stand with Zulfiqar realised 49 runs in 13 overs, mostly bowled by Doak and Harrison and only two fours were given away. 150 came up in over 41. McCrum returned and took a wicket at once. Zulfiqar was bowled, driving with his head up. 158-6-27.
Khan hit a four and a six in a stand of 34. Doak had bowled out (1-29) and it was Curry who broke the seventh wicket stand. Khan hit a six and two balls later swept into the air and Eagleson caught the skier. 197-7-15. At 198 Nota was bowled swinging at McCrum in the 49th over. Cantrell reached 50 in this over from 71 balls, with only one four and, indeed, only seven twos, all the rest being singles. 211 was the final tally, with great credit to Cantrell. In the final 10 overs 66 were scored which, in turn, is a credit to the Irish bowlers. Gillespie did a great job at the start as did Harrison (28 off 10 overs) and Doak later on.
Curry and Lewis (promoted to open again) opened for Ireland to Lefebvre and Khan. The latter's first over went for 10 including three wides and a six to Curry. Khan's third over saw Curry take 12 including another six. There was a near run out in over five, Curry's fault but Lewis escaped. Edwards came on for the prolific Khan and saw Lewis dropped by van Troost running back at mid-on. Lefebvre had bowled well and deserved the first wicket in the 11th over. Curry drove one high over cover (Nota) who took a good catch over his shoulder as he ran back. 47-1-30.
Khan came back for Lefebvre and removed Benson with the first ball, caught at the wicket on the leg side. Dunlop was next and 50 went up in over 14. At 59 Dunlop, 3, gave a sharp catch to Nota at extra cover. This miss proved fatal to Holland. Rain was looming. The 17th over was bowled by Khan. Dunlop hit a four and then a six off a no-ball. The ball was lost and drinks were taken before the over was completed. A vital 13 runs had been scored. Down came the rain at 73 for two. In the hour's delay it was calculated that 68 were needed in 20 overs (the minimum to be bowled to make a match) with two wickets down and 80 with three wickets down.
On resumption Dunlop hit another four but lost Lewis at 77 in over 19. He was caught at the wicket pushing forward in van Troost's first over. Doak came in and but more rain loomed. It was vital not to lose another wicket. With three down 80 were required in 20 overs but another wicket would push the target up to 96. A wide, a no-ball and a single saw exactly 80 up after 20 overs. Rain came after 23 overs and the match had to be abandoned. The target had been 86 in 23 overs but Ireland had got to 91 and the dreaded fourth wicket had not fallen. If it had the 23 over target would have been 100.
Because of the truncated nature of the match no Man-of-the-Match Award was made. On the same day Bangladesh beat Hong Kong by seven wickets.