Ian Callender
16 August 2001
An undefeated eighth wicket partnership of 126
condemned Ireland to a third successive defeat and
another Wooden Spoon in the Triple Crown.
Scotland, needing 212 for victory, were reduced to 88
for seven by more splendid bowling by Adrian McCoubrey
and Jordan McGonigle but Craig Wright - yet again -
and Gregor Maiden, with 79 off 70 balls, were the
immovable objects and, despite having to score at six
runs an over throughout the partnership, they won with
nine balls to spare.
McCoubrey, who finally bowled his 10 overs straight through at the top of innings - he took two wickets in successive balls in his seventh over so the captain could hardly take him off - completed a very satisfying week and Jordan McGonigle also booked his place in the team for the C & G Trophy first round game against Wiltshire in 12 days time with another 10 overs of accurate left arm spin. By the 19th over, Scotland were 63 for six and it seemed only a matter of time before Ireland completed the job.
But the support bowling proved non-existent and in the remaining 30 overs the only wicket the Scots lost was to a run out. Mike Hendrick, watching in the opposition camp yesterday, must be wondering how the depth in the Ireland bowling which he had left just two years ago had plummetted to such depths.
On the day, the Scottish bowling wasn't much better - but they had a long list of unavailable players - only Maiden bowled to Ireland in Toronto. Derek Heasley and Paul Mooney were the only two missing from Ireland's strongest bowling line-up!
In contrast to Wednesday's debacle, all but two of the top six reached double figures, in fact Kyle McCallan's 26 was only the fourth highest score but, frustratingly, only one batsman got to 50 and even Peter Davy was bowled three runs later. Accordingly, there was not one 50 partnership and invariably that does not win a game.
Peter Gillespie, who replaced his brother in the only change to the team that lost to the England Board XI, scored 32 off just 35 balls while John Mooney, in his second international, also managed a run a ball but was then caught off his eighth.
Ireland had only two survivors - Davy and Patterson - from the team that lost to Scotland at Castle Avenue in 1999, the first leg of their Triple Crown Wooden Spoon that year. Just five weeks after the Scots added 64 for the ninth wicket to beat Ireland (Craig Wright 66 not out) that year, Hendrick has his contract as National Coach terminated. On Sunday, the Executive meet to discuss the future of his successor and this week in England could have put the seal on Ken Rutherford's long-term prospects.