Ireland v Scotland, WCL Championship, Belfast

Ireland claim WCL Championship with thumping win

Having already ticked off one major box - qualifying for the 2015 World Cup in July - Ireland secured the World Cricket League Championship trophy after beating Scotland convincingly by seven wickets at Stormont.

It was a one-sided encounter after the two sides played out a thriller two days ago, with the hosts winning both games. Ireland's seamers set it up by bundling out Scotland for 165 and their batsmen, led by Niall O'Brien, needed just 33 overs to chase it down.

Scotland chose to bat and lost their first wicket in the fourth over when Freddie Coleman was trapped lbw by Max Sorensen. Hamish Gardiner and Matt Machan added 25 for the second wicket before Gardiner edged to the keeper, giving the seamer Eddie Richardson his first ODI wicket. The Ireland top order failed to put up sizeable stands, and were struggling at 61 for 4 in the 21st over.

Calum MacLeod and Richie Berrington then staged the only half-century stand of the innings. The pair struggled to push the scoring initially, at one stage scoring just five runs in as many overs. Berrington broke the drought with two boundaries off Richardson. Scotland took the Powerplay in the 36th over, but failed to capitalise, scoring only 19 runs off it. The partnership ended in the 42nd over, when Berrington chipped a full delivery to wide mid-on, giving Kevin O'Brien his third wicket. MacLeod tried to slog a slower ball by Richardson to cow corner but lost his stumps, leaving Scotland at 145 for 6 in the 45th over. The pressure caused by the lack of runs led to the lower order throwing their bats around and Scotland could only manage a modest 165. Stuart Thompson ended the innings when he bowled Iain Wardlaw in the 50th over.

Wardlaw was in action early with the ball when he removed the Ireland openers within seven overs. William Porterfield, who scored a century against England in an ODI earlier in the week, fell for 5 and the visitors had claimed an important wicket. However, Scotland couldn't sustain the pressure after those breakthroughs. Ed Joyce and Niall O'Brien took the game away from them with a stand of 69, interrupted by rain. Joyce fell in the 19th over when he was bowled by the spinner Majid Haq. An aggressive stand of 75 between Niall O'Brien and Gary Wilson sealed the win for Ireland with 17 overs to spare, a testament to their domination in the tournament in which they dropped just one game out of 14.

Scotland needed to win both their weekend fixtures to boost their chances of gaining direct qualification for the World Cup. Having failed to do so, they will have to try their luck in the World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand next year. Afghanistan, currently third in the points table with 15 points, can finish second and gain qualification, if they can beat Kenya in their two remaining games.

Ireland is on track to get their Test status by 2020. Good to see they're taking their time and not rushing to get it. Wish the same was done to Bangladesh so they came in more ready for the rigors of Test cricket. In the mean time, they should be getting regular tours with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, 2 teams that play less than other teams. 1 tour a year with these 2 should do wonders for Ireland.

Congratulations to the Ireland team!! I am a great fan of Ireland & their performance in the WCL championship proves once again that they are the best associate member team around. I also enjoyed watching the tough fight they gave to the England team last week. They might have won if they would have had the services of Morgan & Rankin.

I would surely like to see Ireland play more ODIs with full member teams, and hope they are given test status at the earliest. The very best wishes to you from an Indian fan!! Hope to see you on a tour to India sometime soon!!

Congratulations Ireland on not only winning but 'comfortably' winning the ICC World Cricket League Championship. What really was impressive about this match was that Ireland's 2 experience pace bowlers were injured for the game and a couple of their young pace bowlers like Thompson were playing and were very impressive today and just keeps on proving doubters on how this team is rising beyond all expectations. I think Ireland's newly introduced 3-day competition is starting to show results and who knows what else in the next few years.

They clearly need a newer challenge and its time now for them to play lots of limited overs series if possible against full member nations especially against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh so they can continue to build and Irish players can gain plenty of International experience and compete well in World T20 and the World Cup.

Good luck Ireland Cricket!!!! fans outside Ireland are with you all the way!!!!

Well done Ireland. I am really impressed by the performance of Irish Players. Happy seeing them finish on the top of WCL and Intercontinental Cup tables. They have recently played a very good cricket, and the strong full members including England and Pakistan had a very tough time playing them. Ireland and Afghanistan are the rising stars, in both of the countries almost all the population wholeheartedly love to watch and play cricket. Afghanistan's recent successes against Scotland, Namibia whitewashing the series and beating India's U23 proves they are the strongest associate side.

Hope both of these countries get the Test Status asap (as soon as possible), and hope ICC provide more chances to play the full members.

well done Ireland cricket team better than Zimbabwe and Bangladesh cricket and also mashallah afghan cricket is also the best if afghan cricket team played good cricket against Kenya and qualify for the world cup in 2015 in Australia inshallah these two team it main afghanistan and Ireland is the best cricket team in the world if icc give to afghanistan and Ireland matches against ful members after this you see the afghanistan and Ireland is the best team in world inshallah we are the best afghan cricket team inshallah because afghan love the cricket we also afghan cricket better than bangldish cricket team and Zimbabwe we all afghan kindly from icc full membership that we afghan prove that we afghan cricket team is best team in world we all afghan want kindly such chance that we prove you that we are going to well inshallah we afghan cricket team full membership from icc thanks alot icc