Two contrasting batting performances have left Scotland in limbo for next year’s ICC World Twenty20. After collapsing ignominiously to gift Holland an automatic place in the tournament to be staged in England next June, they then laid on a demonstration of how the game should be played to give themselves a lifeline over which they have no control.

By defeating Kenya to finish third place in the qualifying tournament in Belfast yesterday, Scotland are now dependant on the politics surrounding Zimbabwe. Cricket officials from the African nation volunteered to withdraw from next year’s tournament because of the political situation surrounding their country, but their board has not ratified the decision and Scotland will not know whether or not they will be part of the world event until Zimbabwe reach a final decision.

If they do pull out, Scotland will be offered a place, joining the pool containing South Africa and New Zealand in the group stage. If Zimbabwe manage somehow to stay involved, Scotland will be watching on television, wondering what would have happened if they had batted as well against Holland in the semi-final - with an automatic place in the tournament going to the winners – as they did in the play-off against Kenya.

In the first match, Ryan Watson, the captain, and Kyle Coetzer, the Durham batsman, had given Scotland an ideal start before Navdeep Poonia took over from his skipper and guided them to 77 with only one wicket down and plenty of overs to go. That should have been the platform for an impressive total but with Ryan ten Doeschate, the Essex all-rounder, leading the attack and the Scots getting increasingly panicky, the middle order and tail collapsed, the final six overs seeing only 37 runs added while seven wickets went down, three of them to run-outs.

With only 107 to defend, the bowlers were always up against it and Ten Doeschate duly guided his team home, joining Ireland, who had dispatched Kenya in the morning match, in today’s final and more importantly in the World Twenty20. That left Scotland supporters sweating on the third-place play-off to see if their side had a chance of making it.

As they have done all season, the bowling attack did their bit, led by Dewald Nel’s three wickets for ten. Only Ragheb Aga, who is on the books at Sussex, put up any serious resistance as Kenya stuttered their way to 106, presenting Scotland with a golden opportunity.

They took it in style, with Watson crashing his way to a half-century, only the second of the qualifying competition, before holing out trying to win the match with a six. He was ably supported by Coetzer, who has shown a welcome return to form in this tournament. He hit the winning run to finish unbeaten on 48 as Scotland wrapped up the match with 11 balls spare.

ICC World Twenty20 qualifying tournament

Belfast: Semi-final: Scotland 107-8; Holland 110-5. Holland won by five wickets.

Third-place play-off: Kenya 106-9; Scotland 107-1 (R R Watson 54).