This win gave Ireland a second successive European Cup and a third in all, having won the first held in Denmark in 1996. Due to rain the match started late and initially began as a 36 overs a side match. More rain meant that the overs in the match changed twice during its course. The match itself was, in practice, a final as both teams came into it undefeated. If the match had not produced a definite result, and that was something that looked likely from time to time, then Scotland would have won the European Cup as coming into the match they had a better net run rate than Ireland.

Ireland made changes from the previous match against Italy. Botha, Niall O'Brien and Connell came into the side for Stirling, Poynter and Kidd. Scotland had what might be described as their usual team. Ireland won the toss and sent Scotland into bat when the match started at 2:15 PM.

Gavin Hamilton is bowled

Watson and the left-handed Hamilton opened the batting to Connell and Kevin O'Brien. Hamilton faced and snicked Connell's first ball for four. He hit O'Brien for a four to mid-wicket in the second over. In the third over there were three fours, including one from an overthrow by Wilson. Hamilton hit O'Brien for another four in the fourth over. Then Cusack replaced Connell for the fifth over and Watson hit a four to wide mid-on and came down the pitch to O'Brien in over six to hit a four to long-on. So, in the first six overs, there were eight fours in a score of 46.

It got worse! Botha replaced O'Brien and the 50 came up. This became 56 when Watson hit the last ball for six over long-off. In the ninth over, bowled by Cusack, Hamilton snicked a four to third man. Two balls later he came down the pitch and played a flick shot, missed and was bowled. 60-1-21. Sheikh came in but was bowled in Botha's third over playing a shovel shot to leg. 66-2-2. Smith was next. His stand with Watson added 25 in six overs. O'Brien replaced Cusack and Smith hit two fours in this 17th over. The power plays were finished and McCallan came on for Botha for over 18. To his second ball Watson came down the pitch, missed, and was stumped. 99-3-50. Watson's 50 had come up in over 16. In all he only faced 44 balls with a six and six fours.

Watts replaced him. The half-way match score, after 18 overs, was 92. After 18.4 overs, with score at 99-3, rain caused a 14 minute delay and the match was reduced to 35 overs per side. After the resumption the first ball of McCallan's next over, the 20th, saw a repeat of Watson's dismissal. This time it was Smith who came down the pitch, missed, and was stumped. 99-4-16. McCallum came in and brought up to 100 with a single. It was his only scoring stroke. Connell had resumed and to the first ball of his next over, the 20th, Niall O'Brien brought off a great catch off McCallum. He dived low to his left and caught the ball one-handed. 100-5-1.

Andre Botha drives

Berrington joined Watts and in four overs 15 runs were added. Then, in over 25, Connell struck again. Watts tried to turn a slower ball to leg and was LBW. 115-6-14. The left-handed Haq was next. He did not last long. In the 28th over, bowled by McCallan, off its first ball Haq played back, missed, and was LBW. 120-7-2. Blain came in to join Berrington. O'Brien came on for Connell who was bowled out as seven overs only were allowed per bowler. The eighth pair put on 13. Then McCallan had bowled out his seven overs (3-10 in seven overs!). Botha replaced him for over 32. Off the fourth ball Berrington was caught at wide mid-wicket. 133-8-16.

Drummond was number 10. Cusack came back for O'Brien in over 33 and Drummond hit the last ball for a straight four. Drummond and Blain added 17 in 18 balls. Then, in the 35th and final over, Blain hit Cusack to long-off where Kevin O'Brien did not have to move to take the catch. 150-9-13. Two more runs were added and Scotland finished at 152-9.

The Irish fielding was very good with twos and threes being well cut off. There were five Irish bowlers and all but O'Brien took wickets and he was the only one to give up over 40 runs. McCallan's 3-10 was outstanding. Connell, Cusack and Botha took two wickets each.

Because of the loss of one over the Duckworth/Lewis method came into play. It set Ireland 154 to win, one more than the actual mark based on Scotland's total. At 5 PM Porterfield and Wilson started the Irish reply to Blain and Nel. Blain opened with a maiden to Porterfield. Wilson hit fours in overs three and four and lost Porterfield in over five. He played a lazy stroke and was bowled by Blain. 19-1-1. Niall O'Brien came in and snicked a single first ball. Wilson hit a four in over seven after which rain caused a 26 minute delay, with Ireland's score at 27-2.

When play resumed it had been decided that there would be only 20 more overs for Ireland to bat and a new Duckworth/Lewis target would be 128 in 27 overs. So Ireland needed 101 runs in 20 overs. It was also decided that from this point, 27 overs in all, that two Scotland bowlers could bowl a maximum of six overs each and three could bowl five.

William Porterfield is bowled

Drummond, quickish medium, bowled the eighth over and Wilson hit a four to long-on. A power-play was called for the ninth over, to be bowled by Blain, and O'Brien hit two fours to mid-wicket in this over. He was out in Drummond's second over, the 10th. With no great footwork he paid a careless stroke and was bowled. 43-2-10. Botha came in and he and Wilson virtually won the match. In over 12 Botha started with a four pulled to backward square leg. In the same over the 50 was up. In over 13, Botha hit another four to wide fine leg.

Berrington bowled over 14 and in it both batsmen hit fours. Haq, off spin, came on for over 15. Runs flowed. Watson bowled one over, the 18th, and at this point there were rapid changes of bowling. After Watson's over 39 runs were needed in nine overs. The score after 20 overs was 98. This meant 30 were needed in seven overs. 100 came up in over 21. Blain came back for over 21 and bowled a no-bowl. Botha skied the free hit, which came off the next ball, to third man for four.

In over 22 Wilson went to his third 50 for Ireland. It came off 64 balls and contained six fours. Haq returned for over 23. Botha hit a four but from the last ball Wilson went down the pitch and was caught at long-on, a good low catch running in by Blain. 119-3-51. Kevin O'Brien came in and as the batsman had crossed he was facing the 24th over with nine runs to win. Drummond was the bowler. The first ball went for four to mid-wicket. After three dot balls O'Brien hit the fifth ball for six to wide mid-wicket to win the match.

After the loss in Aberdeen a few weeks previously it was good to beat Scotland in a competitive match and, by so doing, being crowned European champions. Scotland used six bowlers but only three wickets fell, one each to Blain, Drummond and Haq.