For the third successive year Ireland gained the upper hand against Scotland, but only one win resulted. Ireland were put in to bat and, at one time, were 137-7. The last three wickets added 112, including a stand of 45 for the last wicket. Scotland were 30-3 but recovered to 118-3, only to be all out for 174. Warke then played a chanceless innings of 144 not out and, by close on the second day, Ireland led by 297. Then, after two dry but cold days, it rained.

Ireland had a much changed team. Monteith was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in February and may not play again. Short had taken an OECD job in Paris. Masood was available but his 1984 suspension was not deemed to have been served. O'Reilly and Harrison were dropped and a new cap was given to a young all-rounder from Donemana, Alexander (generally known as Junior) McBrine while Alan Lewis was recalled. Patterson (back) and Lewis (knee) both cried off and were replaced by Harrison and another new cap, MP Rea, a batsman of Dublin University and Bangor. In the Scottish team Racionzer and Warner had retired. De Nef, a fast bowler, cried off and was replaced by a new Scottish cap, an off-spinner, A Stevenson. New to the Irish match was a batsman AB Russell.

The pitch was slow, low and somewhat difficult at the start when Ireland were put in. It got easier as the match wore on. The Scots did not bowl as well as they might have. Ireland were 28 when Ker got past Cohen with a good ball which went from leg to off. 28-1-9. Rea was tentative in his first match and, after all, he was only 19 years of age. Thomson, slow left arm, had replaced the opening bowler Duthie. Eventually Rea pushed out at the slow bowler and edged to slip. 49-2-5. After 11 overs by Thomson, the off spinner Stevenson came on. Just before lunch he got Wills who flicked the ball square. Donald dived high from short leg and caught it left-handed. Lunch was then taken at 73-3 after 44.4 overs. Warke had commanded the scene all morning. He had carefully played himself in, hit five fours, and was 45 not out. Some ill directed Scottish bowling was not punished in this session.

Warke and Prior resumed to the bowling of the spinners, Stevenson and Thomson. Prior played in his usual attacking style but it was not the pitch for him. He gave Russell at mid-wicket an easy chance when 8 off Stevenson and another sharp one to Swan at silly point. He then mis swept Thomson to Donald at mid-wicket. 94-4-19. Harrison made 10, then failed to get to the pitch off Stevenson and was caught at extra cover. 122-5-10.

Meanwhile, Warke's 50 and the 100 arrived together in 171 minutes. However, in Stevenson's next over, Warke, trying to force the pace, lost concentration and was stumped for a very good 65 (205 minutes, 185 balls, seven fours). In Stevenson's following over Corlett hit a four and a six and was stumped next ball for 18. 137-7 was not good but now the tide turned. The slow bowlers came off and Duthie, Ker and Donald were given a bowl - surely mistakenly. McBrine and Jackson, playing much straighter than usual, prospered. They added 43 together in only 38 minutes before McBrine lunged at Duthie and was caught at the wicket. 180-8-24. Halliday came in and stayed with Jackson until tea when the score was 198-8, Jackson 28, Halliday 8. At 204 Jackson launched a massive offside blow at Thomson and was caught on the boundary at deep extra cover without adding to his score at tea. Halliday and Elder then added 45 for the last wicket in 58 minutes successfully negotiating the new ball after 100 overs at 219. Halliday reached his highest score for Ireland (47) and was eventually run out at the bowler's end by a throw from short fine leg. 249 was a great recovery. It had occupied 110 overs, bowled at a good rate, and 340 minutes. The slow bowlers had taken seven wickets and bowled 67 of the overs.

With just over an hour to go Donald and Simpson began for Scotland to the bowling of Corlett and Elder. Both bowled well, Elder in particular, after missing two seasons on the team. With the score on 8 he bowled Simpson with one which went from leg to off from the pitch and at 14 he had Swan caught at short leg off bat and pad. Donald (16) and Russell (6) saw the day out at 30-2.

Sunday was sunny but the was a chill wind. The pitch was easier. Elder started with a maiden. Corlett's first ball to Donald nipped back and bowled Donald who did not offer a stroke. Brown then joined Russell. Both made 50s in good time and together they added 88 in 95 minutes. Halliday tried McBrine and then himself. 100 came up in the 50th over in 148 minutes. Corlett was restored for McBrine and Halliday dropped Russell at mid-off. It proved not to be expensive. In Halliday's next over he made up for the lapse by taking a good caught and bowled off Russell immediately after the latter had reached his 50 in 132 minutes. 118-4-51.

Scotland now steadily collapsed to Corlett and Halliday. 118-4 became 174 all out. The fifth wicket, Brown and Snodgrass put on 26, when Snodgrass hooked Halliday high to deep square leg where Elder held on to the chance. At 146 Brown was LBW to Corlett, having made 57 in 127 minutes. Five runs later Corlett bowled Duthie and lunch was taken. 151-7, Ker 4. With no runs added Ker was bowled around his legs sweeping at Halliday. McPate was out to bat/pad catch off Halliday and Corlett bowled Stevenson. 78.2 overs and 231 minutes accounted for Scotland and Elder, Corlett and Halliday had all bowled well.

With a lead of 75 Warke and Cohen set out to consolidate. The stand lasted 100 minutes and 31 overs until the last ball before tea had Cohen LBW to Duthie for 22 with the total on 65. Warke was 43. In the final session of 140 minutes and 45 overs Warke scored another 101, out of 157 added in that time. He played very well and gave no chance. He reached 50/74 in 117 minutes and 102/152 in 193 minutes. In all he batted 241 minutes, 227 balls faced and hit 17 fours. Having got out at 99 against MCC in 1984 it was good to see his century in his 13th match and 18th innings for Ireland. In 1984 Warke's father (Larry) has scored 120 against Scotland at Paisley. The Pollocks, father and son, had also scored centuries against Scotland. Warke's 144 is the highest individual score against Scotland in Ireland and only A.D. Comyn's 157 against I Zingari in 1896 exceeds it as a home score. Against Scotland, Mulholland (149), Anderson (147) and W Pollock (144) had made their scores in Scotland.

The Irish tactics at this point merit discussion. The lead at tea was 140 with nine wickets in hand. After tea 140 minutes remained. To get Scotland in for another 20/30 minutes, another 140 to 150 were needed in about 100 to 110 minutes, not an impossible task. Instead Rea was sent in with Warke. Rea was playing his first match, he was a substitute and had a tentative first innings. He took 108 minutes to score 39 off 111 deliveries. He was dropped twice by Duthie, at deep mid-on and at second slip. Surely the "strikers", Prior, Harrison, Corlett and Jackson should have been sent in to have a hit? Rea's partnership with Warke added 109 before Duthie finally managed to catch Rea at mid-on. Prior arrived with 51 minutes to go and scored 14 not out. By the close Ireland led by 297 and there was some talk that Halliday intended batting again on the third day.

Monday's weather put an end to all tactical debate. No play was possible due to rain and the wet ground until 3:14 PM. 14 overs were bowled by Harrison, Prior and McBrine. Donald and Simpson scored 22 and the match ceased after 11 overs of the final 20 had bowled. The attendance throughout was very small due to a large number of local league matches. No gate was taken but a collection on Sunday produced sterling 45. A dinner for both teams and officials was held in the United Services Club on Saturday evening.

Derek Scott