Ireland and Scotland last met in a World Twenty20 qualifier last August

Ireland and Scotland will meet each other on the opening day of the final qualifying event for the 2011 Cricket World Cup, in South Africa on 1 April.

The International Cricket Council has announced the full schedule and venues for its 12-team World Cup Qualifier.

Nine venues will be used, with Centurion hosting the 19 April final.

The top four teams will qualify for the World Cup in 2011 - while the top six will secure themselves full one-day international status until 2013.

The top six will also receive automatic entry into the ICC Intercontinental Cup for 2009/10 - a competition which Ireland have won on the last three occasions.

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"Many of the top Associates are very evenly matched and I am expecting some thrilling matches during the tournament," said ICC president David Morgan.

"We know from experience that South Africa is a perfect place to host big multi-team tournaments such as this and I know the teams will have some of the best facilities at their disposal."

Ireland and Scotland - who contested the final of the 2005 tournament, then known as the ICC Trophy, which was won by Scotland - are in Group A, along with Canada, Oman, Namibia and Uganda.

The top four sides at the qualifier will reach the World Cup

Group B comprises Kenya, the Netherlands, Bermuda, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark and surprise qualifiers Afghanistan - who have battled through three tournaments on three continents to reach this stage.

Each team will play the other teams in each group in a round-robin fomat, with the top four teams in each group qualifying for the Super Eight phase.

All points from the group phase will be carried over into the Super Eights, apart from those gained against the bottom two teams from each group.

The top two Super Eight teams will contest the final, while there will also be play-offs for third and fourth place, fifth and sixth place, and seventh and eighth place.

Teams finishing fifth and sixth in each group, who have not qualified for the Super Eights, will play off against a non-qualifier from the other group to determine the final order of teams.

The bottom two teams in the Qualifier will be relegated to Division 3 of the ICC's World Cricket League.

(NB matches in bold will be classed as full one-day internationals)

1 April

Group A: Ireland v Scotland (Willowmoore Park), Canada v Oman (Willowmoore Park A), Namibia v Uganda (Krugersdorp)
Group B: Kenya v Netherlands (Potchefstroom), Bermuda v UAE (Potchefstroom University), Denmark v Afghanistan (Vaal University)

2 April

Group A: Scotland v Namibia (Willowmoore Park A), Ireland v Oman (Krugersdorp), Canada v Uganda (Wanderers Oval 2)
Group B: Netherlands v Denmark (Potchefstroom University), Kenya v UAE (Vaal University), Bermuda v Afghanistan (Witrand)

4 April

Group A: Canada v Namibia (Willowmoore Park A), Ireland v Uganda (Krugersdorp), Scotland v Oman (Wanderers Oval 2)
Group B: Kenya v Afghanistan (Potchefstroom University), Bermuda v Denmark (Vaal University), Netherlands v UAE (Witrand)

6 April

Group A: Ireland v Canada (Willowmoore Park), Oman v Namibia (Krugersdorp), Scotland v Uganda (Wanderers Oval 2)
Group B: Kenya v Bermuda (Potchefstroom), Netherlands v Afghanistan (Vaal University), UAE v Denmark (Witrand)

8 April

Group A: Scotland v Canada (Willowmoore Park), Oman v Uganda (Willowmoore Park A), Ireland v Namibia (Wanderers Oval 2)
Group B: Netherlands v Bermuda (Potchefstroom), UAE v Afghanistan (Potchefstroom University), Kenya v Denmark (Witrand)

11 April: A5 v B6 (Potchefstroom University), A6 v B5 (Vaal University)

13 April: Winner of A5/B6 v Winner of A6/B5 (Potchefstroom University), Loser of A5/B6 v Loser of A6/B5 (Vaal University)

11 April: A2 v B1 (Willowmoore Park), A4 v B3 (Willowmoore Park A), A1 v B4 (Krugersdorp), A3 v B2 (Wanderers Oval 2)

13 April: A4 v B2 (Willowmoore Park), A2 v B4 (Willowmoore Park A), A3 v B1 (Krugersdorp), A1 v B3 (Wanderers Oval 2)

15 April: A3 v B4 (Willowmoore Park), A1 v B2 (Willowmoore Park A), A2 v B3 (Krugersdorp), A4 v B1 (Wanderers Oval 2)

17 April: A3 v B3 (Willowmoore Park), A1 v B1 (Willowmoore Park A), A4 v B4 (Krugersdorp), A2 v B2 (Wanderers Oval 2)

(NB matches in bold will be classed as full one-day internationals)

19 April:

The Final (Centurion)
Third/fourth place play-off (Potchefstroom)
Fifth/sixth place play-off (Willowmoore Park)
Seventh/eighth place play-off (Krugersdorp)

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