ABOUT THE MATCH
Now both assured of the ICC T20 World Cup places, Ireland and the Netherlands will meet at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on November 1 in the first semi-final of the qualifier tournament.
Ireland topped Group B with four wins from six matches, pipping Oman and the UAE to the top spot on net run rate – though it did owe everything to Oman’s failure to win their final game against Jersey. Nevertheless, wins against Hong Kong, Oman, Jersey, and Nigeria were enough to book their place at the World Cup.
The Netherlands, on the other hand, won five of their six group games but missed out on a top spot to a Papua New Guinea side who had done likewise. It meant they had to beat the UAE to reach the World Cup, but they did just that after restricting the scandal-hit hosts to 80/9 on their way to an eight-wicket win.
TOSS PREDICTION
Ireland only won the toss once in the group stage so they are due one. Dubai is a wicket to bat first on, as the vast majority of results have shown so far.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS
The weather in Dubai has barely changed throughout this tournament. The heat will ease a little, but it will still be in the 30s under clear, sunny skies on Friday.
Particularly for teams batting first, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium can be an excellent pitch for batting.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Ireland
Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, Gareth Delany, Andrew Balbirnie, Gary Wilson (c, wk), Harry Tector, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Stuart Thompson, Boyd Rankin, Craig Young
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Netherlands
Max O’Dowd, Ben Cooper, Colin Ackermann, Ryan ten Doeschate, Pieter Seelaar (c), Roelof van der Merwe, Scott Edwards (wk), Brandon Glover, Timm van der Gugten, Paul van Meekeren, Fred Klaassen
MATCH PREVIEW
Ireland
- Stuart Thompson returned in place of injured David Delany against Nigeria, but with Craig Young who had also been competing with the two for a place in excellent bowling form, Thompson was not used.
- Ireland won four of their six matches in the group stage, bouncing back from defeat to Canada with big wins against Jersey and Nigeria wins which boosted their net run rate sufficiently to claim the top spot.
- Against Jersey, Mark Adair took 3-10 as they bowled the Channel Islanders out for 105 before Paul Stirling’s unbeaten half-century led them to an eight-wicket win in 14 overs.
- Then, against Nigeria, Craig Young’s 4-13 helped limit the opposition to 66/9, and Kevin O’Brien top-scored with 32 as Ireland took just 37 balls to seal another eight-wicket win.
Netherlands
- The decision to alter the balance of the team, dropping out-of-form Tobias Visee and bringing in Fred Klaassen to bolster the pace attack, paid off as the Dutch bowlers ripped through the UAE last time out.
- They could stick with that same balance again now to face the Irish.
- After defeat to Papua New Guinea their only one in the group stage, but ultimately the loss that cost them top spot the Netherlands have roared back with three consecutive wins.
- Max O’Dowd and Ben Coope hit half-centuries in a big win against Bermuda, before Ryan ten Doeschate did likewise as the Dutch chased 131 to beat Scotland by four wickets.
- Last time out, however, it was all about the Dutch bowling as they booked their World Cup spot.
- Brandon Glover led the way with 4-12, while Paul van Meekeren and Timm van der Gugten took two wickets apiece as they restricted the UAE to 80/9 and then cruised to an eight-wicket win.
PROBABLE WINNING TEAM:
Ireland might have topped their group, but their form was less convincing than that of the Dutch and the Netherlands can book their place in the final.
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