DHARAMSALA, India — Netherlands overcame Ireland in the countries’ reduced final match of Group A on Sunday, running out winners by 12 runs.

Heavy rain, which has fallen constantly over the past two days here and resulted in this group losing a double header last time out, delayed the start and saw the match shrunk to a six-overs-a-side affair.

Pushed a whole 160 minutes back from the scheduled 3pm (local) start, play finally got underway at 5.40pm.

Irish skipper William Porterfield had won the toss ahead of the slated kick-off but was forced to wait to take the field with his team as the rain hurtled down and once again looked to deny the weather hardy fans any cricket.

By the time it had brightened up and play got underway, those fans that stuck it out were treated to a whirlwind dead rubber between the two as both sets of batsman looked to put their shoulders out with huge heaves to the boundary.

Netherlands went at 9.83 runs an over in their 59-5, with Stephen Myburgh (27 from 18) and Peter Borren (14 off 9) the standout performers.

For the Irish, who were once again sloppy in the field, George Dockrell was the star man with the ball, taking 3-7 in his two overs.

Paul Sterling flew out of the blocks in the Irish reply, making 15 off six and hitting two sixes before he fell in the third over.

The true majesty of the contest was delivered by Pieter Seelar, whose stunning catch – running around the boundary and diving low at full stretch to his left – saw the back of Kevin O’Brien for a duck.

Having sat around watching the rain fall for two days, the sight of some cricket warmed the cockles.

And coming in such a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it manner went down a storm with the fans who were rewarded for their stubbornness.