The course this match took made it difficult for Ireland to win but one feels they should not have lost. However, full marks to Scotland who were set 136 to win in 115 minutes and won with six minutes to spare. Duffy replaced Monteith on the Irish team and Huey replaced Corry. Then Torrens (ill) and Pratt (injured) cried off and Goodwin and Corry replaced them. For Scotland Chisholm was playing his 18th successive match against Ireland beating JC Boucher's record of 17 which were also in succession. HK More and R Ellis were playing their first match against Ireland and KM Hardie, a 19-year-old left-arm bowler, was getting his first Scottish cap. This was Chisholm's 69th match for Scotland beating J Aitchison's record of 68.

The 1964 match at Edinburgh was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain. A similar fate befell the Saturday of this 1966 match. It rained all day and all that could be done was to watch the World Cup final at Wembley on Television. On Monday, despite covers, the wicket was wet. Scotland rightly sent Ireland in thus making sure they would bat last in what was now a two-day match. Huey, the Irish captain, played "ball" and declared at tea. McCall and Pigot somewhat luckily put on 33 for the first wicket. Both gave sharp chances before McCall "walked" when caught behind off Barr for 19. He might not have been given out. At 53 Pigot was simply caught at short leg off Dow for 32, scored in 90 minutes. One run later Anderson was dropped by Ellis at backward short leg when only one. At lunch the score was only 64-2, O'Brien seven, Anderson five.

Anderson left at 80 to a fine right-handed catch by Laing off Barr. It was a mis-hook caught at mid-on. At 83 O'Riordan gave young Hardie his first wicket. He played a bad shot and was caught at slip. O'Brien had lapped Hardie for four fours but now he "bought" a high tossed slow one. He was caught by Dudman behind the bowler for 32, scored in 110 minutes. The score was now 98-5. Hewitt came in and hit Hardie for 6-4-4 off successive balls. At 3:25 pm rain held up play for 20 minutes. In all Duffy and Hewitt added 47 in 53 minutes. Duffy was given out caught at the wicket off Dow - a doubtful decision with the score on 145. Hewitt was bowled by Dow by the last ball of the same over. His 36 was the highest score of the innings and it came in 56 minutes. He hit two sixes. It was now teatime and Ireland declared at 152-7 scored in 225 minutes. A wet high outfield reduced the scoring rate. Dow returned the best figures of 3-33 in 19 overs.

Scotland went off with a rush. Dudman was severe on Hewitt whose five overs cost 26 runs. O'Riordan (four runs in nine overs) and Goodwin steadied the rate but 50 came up in an hour. At 57 Chisholm, 20, misdrove O'Riordan and Huey took a wonderful two-handed diving catch at mid-off. Next over O'Riordan bowled Laing for 0. More came in and played very well. At 18 Dudman gave Corry a difficult catch off Huey which was dropped. O'Riordan was replaced by Duffy after bowling 17 overs but no more wickets fell. 80-2 was the closing score after 115 minutes, Dudman 41, More 15. Next day Scotland added 51 in 54 minutes and declared 21 behind. Dudman went to his 50 scored out of 91 after 20 minutes, having batted 135 minutes in all.

Huey replaced Goodwin at 104 and bowled Dudman for 59 in his first over. This was Dudman's first 50 against Ireland for 10 years. When Scotland declared More was a very impressive 38 not out.

McCall and Pigot gave Ireland a brisk start in the second innings. Dow and Barr shared the new ball but 23 runs were scored in 25 minutes. Then McCall was out to a very good leg side catch by Ellis off Dow. In Dow's next over Pigot was caught at short square leg. 31-2-13. Ireland's objective should have been 150 in 135 minutes leaving Scotland 175 to get in 150 minutes. It did not work out thus. The first 58 runs came in 65 minutes but four wickets were down - O'Brien and Anderson both fell to Barr. O'Riordan and Duffy could only add four in 20 minutes before lunch. The score at lunch was 62-4, O'Riordan six, and Duffy one, and the usually reliable Brown had dropped O'Riordan when he was only three. Three of the four wickets had fallen to slack shots off bad balls. After lunch the scoring rate did not improve. Duffy, 30 minutes for one, O'Riordan, 50 minutes for 13, were both out with the score on 69. Corry, 30 minutes for six, followed at 89. Hewitt collected 17 but it was left to Goodwin at number 9 to make the top score of 21, which he did in 43 minutes. Hardie collected the last two wickets in four balls to finish with 4-23 in 13.4 overs. It was a good spell by one so young. The last wicket fell at 3:46 pm thereby ensuring no separate tea interval, a fact of which the Irish captain, Huey, was not aware - his was the last wicket to fall. These 10 extra minutes were invaluable to Scotland.

Scotland set out after 136 to win in 115 minutes. Ireland could not win, short of a miracle, but Scotland definitely could. Scotland timed their assault very well. Chisholm was well caught in the gully in O'Riordan's third over. 16-1-5. Hewitt, bowling around the wicket, conceded 18 in his three overs but Anderson, at cover, made a great effort to catch Dudman off Hewitt's first ball. After an hour 67 was on the board. Dudman was 41 and Laing 21. Then Dudman reached his second 50 of the match out of 77. Huey bowled four overs at this stage for 27 runs including 15 off the last and now the match had swung to Scotland. O'Riordan and Goodwin returned and each bowled a maiden. At 5:30 Laing was caught at the wicket off O'Riordan. 102-2-41. Off the next ball Dudman was missed behind the wicket off Goodwin and one felt Scotland would now win. After 16 runs and 10 minutes More was caught at the wicket. In eight minutes Ford and Dudman added 14 and then Ford was caught at slip. With six minutes to go Barr stepped down the wicket and hit Goodwin to leg for 4 to win the match.

Dudman was 73 not out scored in 109 minutes with only one half-chance in it. He hit five fours and ran splendidly between the wickets. Chisholm, in 1959, was the last Scottish player to score two 50s in the same match against Ireland. Scotland scored their 137 runs off 30.3 overs at a rate of 4.5 an over. O'Riordan took all the wickets, 4-57, but lacked penetrating support. All praise to Scotland and to Dudman in particular and also to both captains for the manner in which the match was played. On the credit side was the Irish fielding which was generally good with Anderson outstanding. Scotland now lead 15-13 in the series after 46 matches.

Derek Scott