Ireland’s brave bid falls short

IRELAND’S bid to win cricket’s European Championships was left in tatters despite a commanding win in their final match against whipping-boys Denmark.

Adrian Birrell's side cruised to victory in Utrecht, only to see the English Cricket Board XI's narrow win over hosts Holland ensure they retained the crown they first won two years ago.

The Irish finished with three wins from their four games - having defeated the Dutch and Scotland over the last two days - but they were left to rue a cruel bowl-out defeat against the ECB on the tournament's opening day.

Now England, who scraped home by three wickets to beat a Dutch side yesterday, can afford the luxury of defeat when they face Scotland today - with results between the sides proving decisive.

Ireland had to overcome the early loss of Jeremy Bray - but Jason Molins and Andre Botha soon steadied the ship before perishing in their 30s in the face of some awkward pace and bounce from Soren Vestergaard.

The Danish paceman then trapped Andrew White in front of his stumps for a duck, but Kyle McCallan and former New South Wales star Trent Johnston took advantage of some wayward Danish bowling to put the Irish in the box seat.

Johnston blasted a typically quickfire 83, with McCallan, his foil at the other end, seeing the Irish home with 64 not out.

Dom Joyce chipped in with an unbeaten 19 to help them to 265 for five the highest score of the tournament so far.

Denmark were never in the hunt in reply, with Botha drawing blood early on before Carsten Pedersen (18), Frederik Klokker (19) and Vestergaard (33) offered brief resistance.

White made amends for his uncharacteristic blip with the bat by picking up three wickets as the Irish strangled the Danish into submission.