Irish win is White hot

Ireland's Andre Botha took three Scotland wickets during his side's victory

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Andrew White punched the air after leading Ireland to a thrilling four-wicket win over Scotland with just one ball to spare.

Chasing 118 to win, Ireland looked in little trouble as Andre Botha smote a rapid 38 to bring the winning post in sight. But, when he was bowled by Gregor Maiden charging down the wicket with Ireland still needing 18 from 15 balls, Scotland sniffed the chance of an upset.

The visitors were suddenly in the box seat moments later when Trent Johnston holed out to a superb catch by Maiden in the deep in the penultimate over.

With tensions growing, White appeared completely unfazed, seemingly the calmest person at the pretty Stormont ground, even when the equation became nine needed off the last over to be bowled by Gordon Drummond.

Lowering himself down on one knee, he played the most audacious of shots off the first delivery, lifting the ball over the wicketkeeper's head for four.

He then squeezed a single off the next ball, Reinhardt Strydom scampered three off the next two deliveries, risking a run-out in the process, leaving White to finish the job off which he did in style, cheekily sweeping another four to the delight of the home crowd.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first earlier in the day, the Scottish openers made an excellent start despite Peter Connell's miserly bowling.

Captain Ryan Watson was the flying Scotsman, cracking three fours and one huge six over wide long-on off Kevin O'Brien as he raced to 24 from just 15 balls. But O'Brien would get his revenge when Watson dragged straight to Strydom at mid-on.

Ireland completed a double strike next ball when one-time England Test cap Gavin Hamilton holed out trying an ambitious slog off Connell whose four overs cost just 12 runs. When Colin Smith was bowled for just one it meant Scotland had slipped from 29 without loss to 31 for three.

Alex Cusask bowls Colin Smith as Scotland are dismissed for 117

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Durham batsman Kyle Coetzer made 11 before he became the first of three victims for Botha.

The South Africa born all-rounder had to be patient for his other two wickets as Neil McCallum and Richard Berrington combined to add 40 runs - the only substantial partnership of the entire Scotland innings.

But when Berrington fell for 17, closely followed by McCallum who played well for his 27, Scotland conspired to lose four wickets for just six runs, collapsing to 98 for eight. It would have been worse had Gary Wilson not spilled a tough chance at long-on.

Dropped catches littered Ireland's performance in the field, something which contrasted sharply to the Netherlands earlier in the day.

Alex Cusack mopped up the tail to finish with impressive figures of 4-21 from his allocation of four overs.

In reply John Blain bowled an excellent opening spell, regularly beating the outside edge, particularly Wilson's. Shedding the traditional straight bat normally favoured by openers, Wilson went for the unconventional, lapping Blain for six over fine leg at the end of the third over.

Irish skipper William Porterfield tried the same shot off Dewald Nel only to see his leg stump removed with 15 on the board.

Wilson played a sublime drive off Blain but attempted something more agricultural against Glenn Rogers' slow left armers, losing both his head and his wicket to leave Ireland 33 for two from seven overs.

Scottish spin twins Rogers and Gregor Maiden applied a python-like grip to restrict Ireland to 47 for two at the halfway point. Left-handers Niall O'Brien and Botha remained composed and kept chipping away until the latter, realising the escalating run-rate, charged down the wicket and launched Maiden for a straight six before clipping Gordon Drummond fine for another boundary.

Andrew White celebrates hitting the winning runs

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Scotland were given a glimmer of hope when the returning Blain had O'Brien caught behind to leave the hosts 84 for three - 34 short and just five overs remaining.

Kevin O'Brien was stumped off Rogers in the next over as the pressure began to show. Bizarrely, the wicket-taker injured his right calf bowling that delivery and had to be helped off the field as Scotland celebrated.

Botha remained the key and a square cut off Nel that flew over point calmed his team-mates. But he was soon back in the pavilion, charging down the wicket only to be bowled by Maiden. Scotland's outpouring of joy suggested they knew an upset was on the cards.

Suddenly it was Scotland's game Trent Johnston fell in the penultimate over as he tried to launch Nel over the top. Maiden, dashing round from long-off, did remarkably well to take a tumbling catch especially with a team-mate bearing down on him.

But White would not be denied.