AMSTELVEEN, Netherlands — Ireland Tuesday qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 after a dramatic last-gasp tie with the Netherlands. The Netherlands' No. 9 batsman Michael Rippon hit a four and a six from the final two deliveries off John Mooney to snatch a point for his side. But Ireland's point was good enough to see it top the ICC World Cup League Championship and advance, for the third successive time, to ICC's flagship event that will be staged in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. After Tuesday's result, Ireland topped the table on 20 points, with nine wins from 12 matches. There is still one place up for grabs from this tournament with four sides — Scotland, Netherlands, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — all still capable of claiming second position. While the top two sides from the ICC World Cricket League Championship will go forward to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the six sides that do not qualify from this event will have a second chance to qualify through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier New Zealand 2014, alongside Hong Kong, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Uganda. The 10 teams will lock horns for the remaining two positions in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Breif scores: Ireland 268-5 (E Joyce 96 n.o., N O'Brien 50, P Stirling 49) off 50 overs Netherlands 268-9 (W Barresi 46, D van Bunge 45, E Szwarczynski 44; K O'Brien 3-52) off 50 overs. Pakistan announces schedule Pakistan Tuesday announced the schedule for its series against South Africa in October, involving two Tests, five one-day matches and two Twenty20 games. The series will be played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates — Pakistan's de facto home grounds for international cricket since 2009. Pakistan has been forced to play abroad because foreign teams have refused to tour the country since gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009. It will be South Africa's second series against Pakistan in the UAE, following two Tests, five one-dayers and two Twenty20s in 2010. The Pakistan Cricket Board said the matches will be played between Oct. 14 and Nov. 15. South Africa, ranked No. 1 in Tests, will open the tour with a three-day warm-up match before the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 14. — Agencies
