Luck of the Irish leaps into life

IRELAND lifted the World Cricket League last night in Amstelveen as Scotland's luck deserted them following a surprise run to the final of the 50-over competition.

Having rediscovered his long-absent form in the Netherlands this week, Fraser Watts hit a sparkling 98 runs to help his side set their Celtic cousins a target of 232 for victory.

However, even minus their quorum of county-based stalwarts, the Irish proved redoubtable. Superb half-centuries from Kevin O'Brien and Andrew White left the Saltires bowlers befuddled and broken.

And Gordon Drummond's men were ultimately left to rue a blown opportunity to take the scalp of their long-time rivals as Ireland, paced by an unbeaten 98 from O'Brien, wrapped up victory with 31 balls left.

It could have been so different. Ireland's decision to put their rivals in to bat appeared to backfire badly as Watts and Preston Mommsen took advantage of the quick outfield to put opening bowlers Trent Johnson and Kevin O'Brien under immediate pressure.

Neither batsman is currently first-choice when the Saltires are at full strength but, jointly and separately, they made their case with composed innings which put the Scots in an initial position of strength.

Mommsen, South African-born but recently naturalised through residence, is gaining in confidence with every outing. He tortured Nigel Jones with three boundaries in a single over as he and his cohort conducted a private duel to reach their half-century the fastest, leapfrogging each other's scores time and again.

Watts won the race by an over, Mommsen quickly following suit to take their partnership into triple figures as an atypical Irish fielding mistake was punished.

Mommsen accelerated to make 80, surviving a drop by Paul Stirling but next ball, he was less fortunate, edging behind to Rory McCann who took the catch at his second attempt.

On 140-1, the Scots were set fair. But their momentum sagged as, one by one, the middle order came and went without reaching double figures, run outs and suicidal shots fatally tossed away the gains made.

Watts held firm until Drummond arrived at the crease to stem the tide. The captain calmly converted 30 runs off 26 balls as the pair pursued a tally over the final six overs. He was foiled by a straight ball from Alex Cusack with three overs left and then Watts departed in the next, driving into the hands of White at long-on before Gordon Goudie's departure a ball later ended Scotland's innings with seven balls left.

Chances had been wasted and runs ceded. Ireland are too good amongst their peers in Associate cricket to leave the door ajar.

When Drummond removed Middlesex's highly touted opener Paul Stirling on 32, it left the World Cup qualifiers on 51-3. No sweat, no panic, no trouble. O'Brien and White kept their heads and advanced forth.

Both took pleasure in teasing Scotland's spinners, Ross Lyons and Moneeb Iqbal, but their seam colleagues suffered likewise. White needed just 58 balls to make his half-century while O'Brien required just four more.

They turned the screw and Scotland could not turn it back, their partnership reaching 160 before Richie Berrington threw himself through the air to take a brilliant one-handed diving catch that ended White's stand. Just 21 short of their target with nine overs left, it was too little, too late as the unfortunate O'Brien narrowly failed to secure a century when the winning run went for a single. Victory, though, was consolation enough.

Scotland, taking heart from their progress, will now focus on next week's One Day International against Bangladesh in Glasgow.

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