DUBLIN, July 14: Scotland celebrated their World Cup qualification in style by claiming the ICC Trophy on Wednesday after defeating hosts Ireland by 47 runs (partly reported in Thursday’s edition).

Both Ireland and Scotland had already made sure of their places in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean along with Bermuda, Canada and Holland.

Vice-captain Ryan Watson was the star for the Scots as he hit 94 in his side’s huge 324 for eight off their allotted 50 overs.

The Irish replied with 277 for nine in their 50 overs with Middlesex’s Ed Joyce making 81 and Jeremy Bray hitting 70.

Paul Hoffmann got the Scots off to a flying start with a rapid 23 before Fraser Watts went on to share in a second-wicket partnership of 120 with Watson.

Watts made 55 while Watson was out having made his runs off just 99 balls. Dougie Brown of Warwickshire then piled on the agony for Ireland by making a half-century off just 38 balls, including four fours.

Ireland’s reply suffered a miserable start when Dominick Joyce fell to Paul Hoffmann, caught behind by Colin Smith for one, while Eoin Morgan was trapped lbw by Hoffman for four.

It was once again left to Middlesex’s England-qualified batsman Ed Joyce to rescue the Irish as he and Bray added 137 for the third wicket.

But their lingering hopes were dashed when Bray was caught in the deep by Watson off Gregor Maiden for 70 and Joyce was caught by Watson in the deep off captain Craig Wright.

Scoreboard

SCOTLAND:

P.J.C. Hoffman c D. Joyce b Mooney 23

D.F. Watts run out 55

R.R. Watson c White b Johnston 94

C.V. English c White b Johnston 20

C.J.O. Smith st Bray b McCallan 2

D.R. Brown c D. Joyce b Cooke 59

G.M. Hamilton c Morgan b Cooke 12

D.R. Lockhart not out 18

G.I. Maiden c D. Joyce b Cooke 11

C.M. Wright not out 1

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-4, W-20) 29

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 324

FALL OF WKTS: 1-37, 2-157, 3-195, 4-198, 5-234, 6-283, 7-292, 8-312.

DID NOT BAT: J.A.R. Blain.

BOWLING: Mooney 7-0-62-1 (2w); Johnston 10-0-66-2 (7w); Botha 5-0-20-0 (1w); Cooke 9-1-70-3 (1w); McCallan 10-0-41-1; White 9-0-56-0.

IRELAND:

D.I. Joyce c Smith b Hoffman 1

J.P. Bray c Watson b Maiden 70

E.J.G. Morgan lbw b Hoffman 4

E.C. Joyce c Watson b Wright 81

P.G. Gillespie c Hamilton b Wright 9

D.T. Johnston st Smith b Maiden 23

A.R. White lbw b Wright 0

A.C. Botha lbw b Watson 10

W.K. McCallan c Wright b Brown 1

P.J.K. Mooney not out 22

G. Cooke not out 34

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-15, W-6) 22

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 277

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-11, 3-148, 4-179, 5-185, 6-188, 7-217, 8-218, 9-222.

BOWLING: Hoffman 10-2-47-2 (1w); Brown 10-2-33-1 (1w); Wright 7-0-48-3 (2w); Blain 5-0-32-0 (2w); Watson 9-0-45-1; Maiden 9-0-56-2.

RESULT: Scotland won by 47 runs.

UMPIRES: S. Hameed (Indonesia) and A.L. Hill (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ryan Watson.

—Agencies