Ireland claimed its first victory of the tournament when they faced Netherlands. Both teams had yet to win a match and it was a fight for national pride that Ireland won by eight wickets with 130 balls remaining.

Netherlands posted 172 all out in 48.2 overs with Marijin Nijman top scoring with 43 runs. Ireland’s reply was a massive 150-run partnership between twins Cecelia and Isobel Joyce that guided Ireland towards victory and Netherlands to yet another defeat.

Despite the lack of wins, Ireland coach Stephen Moreton is happy with his team’s performance in the tournament thus far, “We’ve played two of the three stronger sides in West Indies and South Africa, where for us to win we would have to do something special.

We showed some good fight and I believe our performances have improved each game. The objective was to win the game and the girls took responsibility for it and were the winners.”

South Africa beat West Indies in what was arguably the most anticipated match of the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge in Potchefstroom. The two unbeaten teams faced off in an exciting display of cricket with both bat and ball, but it was the host nation that came out victorious.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat on day four of the tournament, South Africa claimed the early wicket of Juliana Nero, who departed for eight in the third over.

Captain Merissa Aguilleira joined in-form batter, Stafanie Taylor, in what was hoped to be the partnership that would steer the game towards a high scoring end. It was not to be, as the South Africans came out guns blazing and Taylor was dismissed LBW by Sunette Loubser for a meagre 20 runs.

Aguilleira and Deandra Dottin were both dismissed an over later, Aguilleira gone for 28 and Dottin departing for a duck after being judged LBW. The rest of the batters made crucial mistakes at the worst times, Stacy-Ann King who was looking positive with the bat, was run out by Loubser for 38 and just five overs later Shaney Daley was run out by Shabnum Ismail for 23.

Wickets aside, West Indies managed to score a competitive 161 all out, the first time in the tournament that the whole team had been dismissed by its opposition.

The South African batters came in strong, Trisha Chetty and Shandre Fritz did well to create a 33-run partnership, but Chetty fell victim to Daley and was caught and bowled for 11. Fritz and captain, Cri-Zelda Brits held the innings together with a 62-run partnership which saw Fritz playing her best game in the tournament, falling to a run-out by Taylor for 43 off 70 balls.

Brits was dismissed two overs later, caught and bowled by Cordel Jack. Mignon du Preez and Marizanne Kapp’s 37 runs helped to steer South Africa to it six-wicket victory over the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2010 semi-finalists.

South Africa coach, Yashin Ebrahim was delighted with the win, “I’m happy because it was a team effort, the bowling, the fielding and batting all came together and this was the result.

“It is something that we have tried to instil within the team, everyone working together for a common cause and I am pleased that it came together like this.”

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 31 runs after Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first. Sri Lanka posted 220-6 at the end of its 50 overs, with Shashikala Siriwardana scoring an unbeaten half-century to lead her side to victory. She returned unbeaten on 67 from 78 balls, helping her side to the imposing total.

In reply, Pakistan did well to establish a 56-run first-wicket partnership between Marina Iqbal and Javeria Khan, but three run outs let them down with Nain Abidi the only batter to score above 50 (54 off 92 balls).

Siriwardana of Sri Lanka not only had a good day with the bat, but was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 31 in 8.5 overs and not giving Pakistan a chance to catch up, Sana Mir’s side were all out for 189 in the 45th over.

Tomorrow (11 October) is a rest day with fixtures resuming on Tuesday (12 October).