Ireland will play Namibia Saturday for the right to join Afghanistan in September's International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 competition in Sri Lanka after easing past the Netherlands by seven wickets. The winner of Saturday's game will play Afghanistan in the final of the qualifying competition, also on Saturday, to determine the winners of the 16-team event. Ireland lost to Namibia in the opening match of the tournament but since then has won eight games in succession and captain William Porterfield said that form would stand it in good stead Saturday. “We've got the momentum going into tomorrow and we have got to use that,” he told reporters. “We've got to put all this behind us and turn up tomorrow and start afresh.” All-rounder Kevin O'Brien was named Man of the Match as he took 2-17 in four miserly overs at the end of the Dutch innings to help restrict the Netherlands to 114-7. O'Brien then eased nerves with a hard-hitting 30 not out from 22 balls after Ireland had lost three quick wickets in its chase as it reached its target with 20 balls in hand. The Netherlands looked well placed at 56-2 at the halfway point of its innings but after it lost Tom Cooper (26) it lost momentum and although Alexei Kervezee scored 56 from 48 balls it was never able to break the stranglehold imposed by Ireland's bowlers. The two sides that qualify for Sri Lanka will both receive $250,000 from the ICC to prepare for the tournament.
