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Ireland Women's International Matches
Ireland beat Netherlands by 42 runs
ICC Challenge, Potchefstroom, South Africa, 16 October 2010
Scorecard
ICC

Ireland defeat Netherlands to finish fifth

In the fifth place play-off Ireland claimed its first win of the T20Is' when it beat the Netherlands by 42 runs.

Ireland came out positive and when Ciara Metcalfe won the toss and chose to bat first, Nikki Symmons did well to score 86 off 48 balls, steering her side to an imposing target of 179-5 at the end of its allotted 20 overs.

Netherlands made a promising start when Miranda Veringmeier contributed to two 50-run partnerships with Carlijn de Groot and captain, Helmien Ramboldo.

Their dismissals and the slow run-rate of 6.85 an over, when the required run-rate to win was 8.95, meant that the team was never going to make the required target and finished its innings with 137-4.

For some of the teams the ICC Women's Cricket Challenge was its first taste at playing against five different teams outside of the ICC Women's World Cup and the ICC Women's World Twenty20, and the coaches involved have been grateful for the opportunity to develop their players in the event.

Ireland coach Stephen Moreton said: "This event is hugely important - I don't think the women's game can grow if it doesn't happen regularly.

"We struggled with development because it's only now and again that the girls experience quality opposition in quality conditions and if there's any intention to grow the women's game, this kind of event needs to happen regularly."

Photographs