Less than 1000 were present on a dull and cheerless day when play began. The winning of the toss gave a good advantage to Ireland. Quinlan hit eight off the first over and he and Blair-White had 40 up in 30 minutes. At 16 Murray smartly caught Blair-White at the wicket and Lambert fell in similar fashion after scoring 2. 73-2-2. The score at lunch was 93 with Quinlan and Bateman batting steadily. Quinlan, when 50, gave a hard chance to slip but at 130 he was bowled by Frazer for 54. MacDonald, the other opening bowler, returned to the attack and got Rooney caught at 142. Then, in rapid succession, MacDonald got Bateman, who had made a lively 36, Shaw and Walker so that the score was now 165-8. McNamara and Kelly improved matters, the latter delighting the crowd with some lusty hitting. At 206 Sorrie caught Kelly, 25, on the boundary off MacDonnald. 18 runs later Frazer bowled McNamara for 30 and the innings was over.

Sorrie and Gardiner opened Scotland's innings to the bowling of McNamara and Ward. Lambert caught Gardiner, 18, with the total at 24 and Dickson was caught off the next ball for nought. Ward took both these wickets. The third wicket added 43 and took the score to 67. Then Ward got Bowie for 14 and Kelly had Sorrie caught at the wicket for 35. Wickets then fell at regular intervals and by the end of play Scotland were 129-8, but John Kerr was still in and had made 28. Hone, as wicket-keeper, caught four batsmen.

The morning of the second day was dull but the afternoon was fine and over 1000 people were present. Kerr and Frazer, the overnight not outs, batted to such purpose that the ninth wicket took the Scottish total to 196. Frazer was caught off Lambert for 44 and then with Kerr hitting and MacDonald on the defensive the score was carried to 224, the same figure as the Irish total. Ward bowled MacDonald and Kerr was left not out with 64 to his name. His contribution was invaluable and was compiled by very slow and careful cricket.

Ireland did not start very well, Blair-White being lbw to Frazer at 8. However, with Quinlan and Lambert together, a great display was witnessed. They began cautiously but soon increased the tempo. 50 appeared in 40 minutes. Lambert got a bad knock on the knee and Bateman came out to run for him. 100 came up in 90 minutes and both batsmen were playing in great style. It was not until the score was 157 that the second wicket fell. Kerr, the eighth bowler tried, got through Quinlan's defence and bowled him for 78, which included nine fours. 16 runs later, at 173, Lambert was caught at mid-off for 75 which included five fours. Hone and Bateman stayed together until stumps were drawn by which time the score was 212-3, Hone 23 and Bateman 22.

This was financially the best match of the series to date and 2000 watched the third day's play. The match ended in a draw but time alone saved Scotland. Perhaps the Irish declaration was too long delayed because Scotland were asked to get 369 in four hours. As it proved they only reached 228 but the Irish bowlers could only get eight wickets in that period. Rain delayed the start until noon and after three overs rain came on again. Thereafter it was a beautiful day. Hone and Bateman found the bowlers handicapped by a wet ball and scored rapidly. The pair eventually collared the Scottish attack and as a last resort Kerr came on. Previously he had broken the Quinlan-Lambert partnership and again he did the trick by having Bateman caught at short leg before the end of the over. The stand had been worth 104 runs of which Bateman made exactly half. He was quieter if more effective than in the first innings. Hone continued to hit vigorously and 300 came up in 270 minutes. At lunch the score was 318-4. The second over after lunch was fatal to Hone, Frazer bowling him for 92 made in 2 ¼ hours, with 13 fours. He gave one chance, to Watson. Kelly, as in the first innings, hit hard and was very severe on MacDonald's slows. At 368-5 the closure was applied.

At first Scotland went for the runs. Sorrie and Gardiner played freely and scored 58 together. Sorrie was caught off Lambert for 37 and the same bowler bowled Dickson 10 runs later. At 78 Lambert bowled Bowie. Then Scotland abandoned the idea of a win and Kerr and Gardiner stonewalled for 2 ¼ hours while 69 runs were added. Lambert eventually got both of them and three further wickets fell to Shaw, 2, and Ward but the game was saved. Gardiner's 72 took over three hours but it was the innings that prevented a Scottish defeat. 99 overs were bowled by six Irish bowlers, Lambert bowled 40 overs for 51 runs and four wickets.

This was John Kerr's first match for Scotland against Ireland. He was afterwards to score well over 1000 runs in this fixture alone and be the plague of Ireland's bowlers.

Derek Scott