This was the first match for Ireland of a quadrangular series involving Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and West Indies. The matches were switched between Stormont (3) and Castle Avenue (3). All the West Indies matches are to be played at Castle Avenue and the other teams switch between the two venues.

The first match of the tournament took place yesterday at Castle Avenue when West Indies beat Netherlands by 10 wickets in a match that lasted less than 50 overs. The rules of the tournament provided that a side got 4 points for a win but could get a bonus point, making 5 points in all, if the won their match with a run rate 1.25 times or more that of their opponent. West Indies did this in their win over Holland.

Ireland came back from the dead to win their first one-day match of the season by the minimum margin against the Netherlands. Seven overs from the end, the Dutch were coasting at 186-3, needing only 24 runs for victory, but the introduction into the bowling attack of Kevin O'Brien and the return of Ireland's best "death bowler" Andre Botha, conjured up the most unlikely of victories. Unforgivably, the Netherlands still had four wickets left at the end, and Ireland didn't take one in the last two overs. Botha conceded just six runs from the 49th over and O'Brien, entrusted with the final over, was hit for a solitary single from his first five deliveries. The Ireland fielders were then able to watch the final ball of the match go for four, the boundary too late to matter.

For Ireland it was probably a relief to be playing against amateur opposition again. Yet it was plain sailing for the Dutch when Mudassar Bukhari inelegantly clobbered 71 to make a huge dent in their victory target of 211. Ireland used eight bowlers, but the return of David Langford-Smith lasted only three overs, his first spell going for 22 runs, and even Andre Botha could not make the breakthrough as the Dutch added 84 for the first wicket. In contrast, Ireland's Eoin Morgan found runs difficult to come by. After 27 overs he had faced 73 balls for just 19 runs, with only a couple of twos interrupting his run of singles and by the time he brought up his 50 in 108 balls he had hit two sixes but not one four, which must be some sort of record for an ODI.

At the other end Carroll seemed to get a harsh leg-before a decision, a purposeful Botha mistimed a pull and Niall O'Brien was content to work the singles. The loss of both Morgan and his county professional colleague six overs but only 23 runs later ensured that Ireland were unable to pick up the pace until the arrival of Kevin O'Brien and, crucially, David Langford-Smith. O'Brien Junior scored 34 off 39 balls and although Johnston was out for just two Langford-Smith was hiked up the order to smash 31 from 12 balls with three sixes and a four.

At halfway, Ireland appeared happy with their total of 210-8 but there were no terrors in the chronically slow pitch as the Dutch openers saw off Ireland's first five bowlers. They were restricted by a marvellous spell by Botha, his seven overs costing just eight runs, but it needed to the introduction of Kyle McCallan to break the opening stand, 17-year-old Alexei Kervezee caught at mid-off. Bukhari surrendered his wicket in a run-out and when Baz Zuiderent gave a return catch to Alex Cusack, finally introduced in the 39th over, the first hint of panic appeared in the Netherlands side.

"It's a step forward", said coach Phil Simmons. "In the past when we were in this sort of situation we would have lost. I have to praise the bowling of Kevin O'Brien and Andre Botha who are very hard to get away. It was top-class bowling and that added to a little bit of luck saw us through. The Dutch really were coasting."