Ireland dropped Kirkpatrick, Finlay and Dineen. AJ O'Riordan was now available and came back in as captain. Huey and Stevenson, neither of whom was available for the first game, were also selected but Stevenson got back trouble and could not play so CV Corry, who played once in 1959, came in. Ireland now had six bowlers, three of pace and three of spin.

Scotland again had J Aitchison available. He has scored more than 3500 runs for Scotland since 1946 with seven centuries. They also brought back a pace bowler JS Wilson last capped three years ago and he proved to be the best Scottish bowler. MH Denness was to have played but Kent called him into the County team and RW Young came in to get his first cap. Looking rather awkward he made top score in each innings and was unlucky to miss a century on debut. This was Scotland's first win over Ireland since 1955 and puts them ahead by 13 wins to 12 in the series. In so doing Scotland scored 250 to win for the first time ever against Ireland. Bergin reached the previously unattained milestone of 2000 runs for Ireland when he reached 67 in the second innings. Bergin went from 1000 runs to 2000 runs in 18 matches and 33 innings. The fastest 1000 is that of TG McVeagh reached it in 18 matches but only 31 innings. It took McVeagh eight years while Bergin did it in six. Bergin's first 1000 came in seven years, 23 matches and 43 innings.

On the first two days of this match play started at 1:30 PM and went on to 8:15 p.m. This did not seem to attract more spectators, the match was badly attended, and it was really too dark for play at 8:15 PM. Ireland started well and Bergin hit Barr's first two balls for fours past cover. He reached 26 out of 30 in 40 minutes but was inclined to "flash". He did this once too often and hit JT Thompson a fierce crack on the forehead at second slip. The ball bounced up in the air to be caught by Brown, the wicket-keeper. In the next over Martin hit a ball to mid-on and called for a single but Aitchison rushed in and kicked the ball onto the bowler's wicket to run Martin out. At 48 Hogan got two wickets in an over - McCloy caught at slip and Duffy played on. Corry and McQuilken added 24 then Barr bowled Corry at 72 and Thompson, despite his plastered forehead, took a splendid catch to dismiss McQuilken, 23, off Wilson at 74. Of the rest O'Riordan played well for his 18 but was bowled just when he appeared to have settled in as so often happens to him. Bernstein hit four fours in one over from Barr but Wilson took three of the last four wickets and the final score was only 119.

The Scotland innings began at 4:30 PM with Dudman and Chisholm. The latter hit Bernstein for two fours in his first over but O'Riordan caught Dudman at leg-slip in Bernstein's second over. Young came in and with his peculiar style did not look like staying but in fact he made 39 in 35 minutes in a 51 run partnership with Chisholm. Then O'Riordan bowled him at 60. Bernstein was very expensive conceding 28 in five overs and 20 runs in four overs in a second spell. It was Ferguson who made the break-through. He gave away 22 runs in his first six overs but with the third ball of the seventh over he took a wicket. Then, in 34 balls, he took six wickets for 11 runs! However, he did not bowl all that well, three of his wickets falling to long hops. Aitchison flicked a long hop to the diving Colhoun at 90 and two balls later Barr was bowled on a beautiful break-back. The sixth, seventh and eighth wickets all fell at 108 - Ford to another good leg slip catch by O'Riordan. The last man pushed one to O'Riordan at leg slip, left his ground and was run out by O'Riordan's quick flick back to the stumps. Ferguson at the end had 6-37 in 12.1 overs.

Ireland had 70 minutes to bat before 8:15 PM. McCloy was caught at 17 and in very poor light Bergin and Martin took the score to 29-1. An appeal against the light was rejected at 7:45 PM and, in fact, no runs were scored in the last half-hour while Allan and Thompson, both slow left arm, bowled maiden after maiden. A little more aggression might have been attempted.

On the second day Ireland appeared to be in an impregnable position at one time, when the score was 201-2. Martin, suffering from a stomach complaint, and Bergin added 90 to the overnight score in just two hours before Martin was caught off Wilson for 56 made in 160 minutes. The score was now 119-2, the pair having added 102. McQuilken and Bergin scored at about run a minute until 200 was reached in 280 minutes. Then, at 201, three wickets fell just as the new ball was taken. Bergin was caught at leg slip by Allan off Hogan for 92 made in 280 minutes; McQuilken was caught at the wicket in Wilson's next over; and Duffy was caught in the gully trying to dab a single to avoid "a pair" - he failed. The innings never really recovered from this blow. Corry, Ferguson and Bernstein all got to double figures but the innings closed at 249, Hogan and Wilson taking four wickets each.

Scotland had 75 minutes to bat and what a pity it was that Ireland could not have batted on to the close of play and set Scotland about 320 in 310 minutes on the last day. In the 75 minutes they had to bat Scotland made 62 for one. Dudman was LBW to O'Riordan at 27 and Young had two narrow escapes from being run out. Chisholm was 27 and Young 16 at the close.

189 more were required on the last day and Chisholm and Young carried on for 75 minutes and took the score to 124. During this time Bernstein dropped Young at 104. Huey had Chisholm caught at slip at 124. He had made 44 and was the first victim of a spinner in the match. Scoring was now slow as Huey and McQuilken kept the runs down and Aitchison was dropped off Duffy's first ball at the wicket. Young reached 50 in 102 minutes. Lunch was over and the score was 223 before Aitchison, forcing the pace, was caught at mid-wicket off Ferguson. He made 63 out of 99 in 90 minutes and was 8 short of 1000 runs against Ireland when he was out. Five runs later Young played too soon at Ferguson and was caught and bowled for 96 made in 220 minutes. Barr was LBW to O'Riordan but in fact the last 50 came in 50 minutes and Scotland won by five wickets at five minutes past three. O'Riordan bowled economically but the wicket was too good for the spinners and Scotland deserved to win.

Derek Scott