Ireland beaten again

Ireland ended their 10-day stay in Nairobi on a bleak note after suffering a six-run defeat at the hands of the Netherlands on Monday. The team that were among the favourites for the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 title will leave Kenya this week having won just one of their five matches after failing to chase 261 for victory in their final game.

In a match that was reduced to 46 overs a side after overnight rain delayed the start, the Irish won the toss and sent the Dutch in to bat.

Given their track record over the last week, the Irish did not fancy their chances of defending, no matter how high the total.

Bas Zuiderent and Darron Reekers got the Dutch off to a great start, putting together a partnership of 114 before Zuiderent, who had played the more cautious innings, was caught by William Porterfield off Andre Botha for 39.

Ryan ten Doeschate and Daan van Bunge were then dismissed cheaply, taking the score to 153 for three before Reekers was finally run out by Botha with the help of wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien for 104.

The eventual man-of-the-match had been dropped four times during his innings.

The second significant Dutch partnership was between Eric Szwarczynski andTim de Leede who put on 64 for the fifth wicket with de Leede contributing 24 runs before being bowled by Kevin O'Brien while Szwarczynski finished unbeaten on 56.

Ireland had a solid start and while opener Jeremy Bray fell early, trapped leg before wicket by Reekers for eight, Porterfield and Eoin Morgan produced an impressive batting display which had the Irish well on their way to a comfortable win.

Morgan, who made a century against Canada on Sunday, eventually fell just six short of another ton when he was caught by Zuiderent off ten Doeschate.

Niall O'Brien was once again unsuccessful with the bat, out for one, just a few balls later.

That started the Irish collapse as Porterfield, who really didn't deserve to be on the losing side so often this last week after scoring centuries against Bermuda and Kenya, was next to go for 84, caught by substitute fielder Alexei Kervezee off Edgar Schiferli.

As the wickets tumbled so the victory slipped further from their grasp and with 26 needed off the final three overs, another wicket fell as David Langford-Smith was caught by van Bunge off ten Doeschate, who finished with figures of four for 56 off his 10 overs.

With two wickets in hand, Ireland needed another 15 runs off the final over and the Dutch put their faith in Peter Borren for the last six deliveries.

There was an appeal for a stumping off the penultimate ball which was dismissed but the resulting dot ball all but sealed the victory for the Dutch with Ireland needing a six off the final delivery to tie the match - a feat they could not accomplish.