There was rain all around the M50, and drizzle in Balbriggan where I had my breakfast. But it had cleared by the time I arrived at the Inch, Balrothery, and the match between The Netherlands and Italy in the ICC World Cricket League, European Division 1 Championship, was able to start on time.

For their trouble, Italy lost the toss and were inserted. Andy Northcote, late of Pembroke, smacked Edgar Schiferli's second ball, a long hop, to Henk Jan Mol at mid wicket. Thushara followed a widish delivery from Mudassar Bukhari through to Jeroen Smits behind the stumps.

So keen to score off a free hit from Schiferli was Alessandro Bonora that he ran himself out, and the next ball Peter Petricola was superbly caught low down at full length by Peter Borren. That was 21/4, and deep doggy doo-dah time.

Joe Scuderi batted confidently, working the straight ball well off his legs and the wider one through third man. Hemantha Jayasena batted very carefully, nurdling the odd single, and together they took the score to 79.

Slow left-armer Pieter Seelaar had been allowed to settle into a good line and length, tossing the odd one a little higher. Having crept into double figures, Jayasena decided to leave one such tempter alone as it drifted down the leg side to be called wide, but went walkabout and was smartly stumped by Smits.

By this time Jayasena was back in his crease, wondering why umpire Magee had his finger in the air. He hung around without intent for a little too long, making it very clear he didn't want to go. There were no Donemana supporters to help him on his way, so his dalliance was interpreted as a Level 1 offence.

I don't know the Italian for F*** O** you **** ing C*** (their footballers always swear in English), but if it had helped him avoid such a transgression I'm sure he would have been grateful. After all, Ben Ackland of Merrion just got an earful, not a carpeting.

I digress. Nick Northcote (the boys have an Italian mama) hung around with Scuderi to add another 31 runs. Then he popped a catch to Borren off the impressive Seelaar. More resistance came from 8, 9, 10 and J as Scuderi continued to build his fifty ton-wards.

Kelum Perera was lbw to Schiferli when the score was 140; Vincenzo Pennazza was caught by Eric Szwarzcynski (Dutch I can manage, but Polish?) off the erratic Maurits Jonkman on 161; Gayashan Munasinghe was a third victim for Borren, this time off left-arm seamer Henk Jan Mol.

Din Alaud kept the strike away from his skipper until he perished to Mol, leaving Scuderi unbeaten on 84 of 181 all out. Second-highest scorer was Ernie Extras, six short of his fifty, including a quarter-century from Willie Wides.

With the exception of Jonkman, all the Netherlands bowlers returned decent figures: Schiferli 10-1-25-3; Mudassar 10-1-29-1; Mol 9.4-0-33-2; and, best of all, Seelaar with 10-2-19-2.

182 is a target well below par for the Inch, but it still has to be got, and a good start was necessary to push Italy right out of the game. Instead, they were pushed right into it.

Darron Reekers was lbw to the left-armer Vincenzo Pennazza, who was getting the white ball to banana. Two runs later Mudassar launched himself at Din Alaud and skied it to Andy Northcote at cover. That was 21/2, and things went from mediocre to poor.

Daan Van Bunge was in no nick at all. Still on the mark, he gloved one to Nick Northcote behind the stumps and got away with it. Tom de Grooth was the only Dutchman to bat with any fluency all afternoon.

With the score on 56 Van Bunge did edge one behind and didn't hang around. Then de Grooth, having just passed his fifty, was caught off Din Alaud, and it was 78/4. That became 98/5 when Eric Szwarczynski was caught at slip by Scuderi off Munasinghe.

Peter Borren appeared to be repairing the damage with the combative Hen Jan Mol, and the pair had progressed to within fifty of their goal with plenty of overs to spare. Then Borren (34) nicked off to the persevering Din Alaud, and two runs later Mol (12) misjudged one from Peter Petricola and was bowled.

Jeroen Smits wasn't a happy bunny when he was adjudged to have edged through to Northcote, but removed himself sufficiently quickly to avoid an appearance on the magic carpet. Edgar Schiferli played a couple of lusty shots, was dropped once, and departed for 10 with the score on 154/9.

Maurits Jonkman and Pieter Seelar showed plenty of fight, and had added 19 runs when the drizzle suddenly became quite heavy. The Netherlands were now tied with the D/L score, but off the second ball of the next over Jonkman gave Nick Northcote his fourth catch off fourth change Alessandro Bonora.

The Azzuri were suitably jubilant, and the Orangemen desperately disappointed with their own performance. The four main Italian bowlers stuck to their task, compiling good figures: Din Alaud 10-2-30-3; Pennazza 10-1-30-2; Petricola 10-1-36-2; and Munasinghe 9-2-38-2.

The Netherlands won't be happy with their tally of extras, and know they should have batted a lot better. The Italian top order know they, too, didn't do the job. Joe Scuderi declined the offer of a drink in the bar when he popped in for a thirst quencher. I hope he enjoyed a deserved glass of the red stuff back at The Grand, be it Montepulciano d'Abruzzi or McLaren Vale Shiraz.