IRELAND produced their best performance of the year to beat their hosts Denmark by four wickets at Brondby yesterday on the second day of the European Cricket Championship.

Neil Doak played a pivotal role in the win which should ensure Ireland a place in Friday's final, taking four wickets and securing the victory with his seventh boundary in an unbeaten half-century.

Despite losing the toss, Denmark began as favourites but failed to make the most of home conditions as they posted a below par 218 for eight on another breezy morning.

Mark Parterson, with the wind at his back, struck the first blow bowling Soren Hansen with such force that one of the bails carried some 60 yards and hit the sight screen above a couple of startled spectators. Another odd occurrence was the sight of a Graham - Uel in this case - doing battle with John Jensen in the shadow of the Brondby football stadium.

A determined innings of 82 by opener Steen Anker Nielson seemed to have set the Danes well on the way to a big total as they reached 170 for four with 10 overs remaining. It was then that Doak, in tandem with fellow off-spinner Decker Curry, began to take control.

Curry caught and bowled Nielson as four wickets fell in the space of 12 runs and Denmark were unable to accelerate with the noted exception of two huge blows by Soren Vestergaard.

At lunch. it was widely agreed that Denmark would have to dismiss Ireland to win and that began to look possible as Curry needlessly charged Vestergaard and out-of-touch Andrew Patterson again fell in single figures. Not for the first time in recent matches, captain Justin Benson steadied his ship with a responsible 44 before sweeping at Soren Klitgaard and losing his leg stump.

Angus Dunlop, in a purple patch, notched a half century. from 63 balls, only to fall immediately afterwards when he was, beaten through the air by Peer Jensen and offered a hard return chance.

Doak by this time had played himself in and quickly took advantage of two loose balls on the leg stump to hit the first of his boundaries. The 24-year-old ala ways gives the impression of composure and was able to hold things together when a few nerves came to the surface in the final overs. Ireland now have to beat Gibraltar tomorrow - surely a formality - to meet either Holland or Scotland in the first European Championship final.