England win cricket's European Championships

The England amateur team won the European Championships for the first time in the tournament's four-year history when it beat Ireland by one run on Thursday 25 July. The team therefore completed a clean sweep of wins with victories over all the competing nations - Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Denmark and Italy.

The England players' unbeaten record owed much to an unlikely finish against Scotland in their second match of the competition. Chasing 174 for victory, the Scots needed four runs to win off the last two overs (bowled by Steve Foster and Steve Chapman) with six wickets remaining. England took six wickets for one run in the next 11 balls to win the match by 2 runs with one ball of the match remaining. Foster took three wickets, Chapman took two and there was a run out.

The tournament was played in grounds around Northern Ireland from 20-25 July. For full results and tournament details see: www.cricketeurope.org and click on CricketIreland.

Previous winners of the tournament include Ireland, which won the first ever competition, and Holland, which has won the past two years.

England Team Steve Foster* - Hanging Heaton CC, Ismail Dawood - Hanging Heaton CC, Ajaz Akhtar - Peterborough CC, Chris Brown - Horsford CC, Steve Chapman - Hartlepool CC, Paul Lazenbury - Bourton Vale CC, Ian Bishop - Bovey Tracey CC, Paul Bryson - New Brighton CC, Richard Howitt - Bourne CC, Quinten Hughes - Durham City CC, Chris Mole - Cuckfield CC, Marcus Sharp - Blackpool CC, Andy Pugh - Barton CC, Stuart Stoneman - Barton CC.

Results table

20 July Italy 143 beat Holland 142-9 by 1 run England 173-7 beat Scotland 171 by 2 runs Ireland 281-9 beat Denmark 183-7 by 98 runs

21 July Ireland 103 lost to Scotland 104-2 by 8 wickets Holland 247 beat Denmark 174 by 73 runs England 245-8 beat Italy 183-8 by 62 runs

22 July Ireland 231-8 beat Italy 203 by 28 runs Denmark 198-8 lost to Scotland 202-6 by 4 wickets Holland 160 lost to England 161-5 by 5 wickets

23 July Scotland 247-7 beat Italy 110-9 by 137 runs Ireland 193-8 beat Holland 182-9 by 11 runs

24 July Denmark 115-8 lost to England 117-0 by 10 wickets

25 July England 226-8 beat Ireland 225-9 by 1 run Holland 183-7 beat Scotland 180-8 by 3 runs Italy 131-8 lost to Denmark 132-1 by 9 wickets