Ireland qualifies for Cricket World Cup MyZA

Netherlands tail-enders celebrate. Photo: ICC / Sander Tholen

Ireland’s Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship match against Netherlands on Tuesday has qualified them for their third consecutive ICC Cricket World Cup.

The home side’s number-nine batsman Michael Rippon hit a four and a six from the final two deliveries off John Mooney to snatch a point for his side, but couldn’t stop Ireland from winning the Pepsi ICC World Cup League Championship and progressing to ICC’s flagship event that will be staged in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

Earlier, half-centuries by Ed Joyce (96 not out) and Niall O’Brien (50), and an equally good knock by Paul Stirling (49) helped Ireland to score 268 for five from 50 overs, after it had elected to bat first.

In turn, the Dutch started confidently through Wesley Barresi (46), Eric Szwarczynski (44) and Stephan Myburgh (35), and reached 135 for one before slipping to 142 for four. A rearguard action by Daan van Bunge (45) and Tom Cooper (38) brought the Netherlands within touching distance when it needed 16 off the final 12 balls.

Alex Cusack conceded three runs in the penultimate over of the innings and Mooney started the final over impressively by giving away just two runs off his first four deliveries.

However, at this stage, Rippon gatecrashed the Irish party when he hit a four and a six off the final two deliveries to earn a valuable point for his side. This point may go a long way in helping the Netherlands to become the second side from this tournament to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

After Tuesday’s result, Ireland has moved to 20 points, with nine wins from 12 matches. This means Ireland is beyond the reach of its closest rivals irrespective of how the seventh and last round matches pan out.

The result also makes Ireland the first of four qualifiers for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. It will be the third time that Ireland will appear in ICC’s flagship event after it participated in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies, where it defeated both Pakistan and Bangladesh, and then in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, where it chased down a 328 runs target to beat England by three wickets with five balls to spare.

In addition to the ICC Cricket World Cup, Ireland has also appeared in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009, 2010 and 2012.