Dean and Waterton went away at a great rate against P McCrum and Nelson. P McCrum's first 2 overs went for 20. He took a wicket in his third when Dean was LBW for 16 with the score at 29. After 5 overs P McCrum was replaced by C McCrum. He went for 3 fours in 2 overs but steadied up and bowled his 11 overs on the trot, the last 9 only costing 25. Waterton and Folland (the captain) were kept in reasonable check by Nelson and C McCrum.

50 came up in 10.3 overs but the stand of 53 took 17 overs and finished in a comical run out. Folland nicked a Nelson delivery which Jackson dived at and stopped. Waterton was coming for a run. Jackson rolled at the stumps and missed. The ball ran on to Harrison who from short mid-off rolled at the bowler's stumps and ran Folland out. 82-2-28. Three balls later C McCrum had Waterton LBW. 83-3-31. Harrison was the only slow bowler used before lunch coming on with the score at 83. Patel and Leiper raised 100 in 28.3 overs. The score at lunch was 107-3, Patel 13 Leiper 9. In 134 minutes Ireland bowled a miserable 31 overs. 13 no-balls and Wides did not help.

Lewis bowled three overs after lunch for 17. In the 36th over, with the score at 139, Leiper called a run to Lewis at cover - a dangerous thing to do. So it proved. Lewis hit the stumps and Patel (26) was out. In Harrison's next over (38) Hussain was LBW. 145-5 with 17 overs to go was the score and that wasn't looking too bad. However, in the next 11 overs Leiper and Ferguson put on 46.

P McCrum was now back and had Ferguson caught at mid-wicket for 24 with the total at 191 in the 49th over. Dunlop was now bowling at the other end and 29 came in 4 overs including Leiper's 50 which came off 71 deliveries and the 200 which came up in 51.1 overs. Lewis replaced Dunlop for over 54 and Storer hooked him to P McCrum at long leg. 220-7. This rose to 232-7 in 55 overs. Leiper held the innings together with his undefeated 64. Considering the quick start 232 was a reasonable end score from Ireland's viewpoint. Nelson (29 runs) and C McCrum (37 runs) were the best bowlers. The overall rate of 14.35 overs per hour was very poor and, indeed, very unusual for Ireland. Between overs everything happened slowly.

In 93 minutes to tea Ireland scored 86-3 in 24.4 overs. The disaster happened in the last over before tea when Lewis, going well, was caught at the wicket off a wild shot at a bad ball from French. The start was slow for Warke and Rea against Roshier and Arnold. 10 overs saw only 22 up. In the 11th over Warke hesitated on a call from Rea and was run out. Ferguson replaced Arnold and got Harrison out to a brilliant gully catch by Dean with the score on 43 in the 16th over. Harrison never batted number three for Ireland before and would not be ideal in that position in a limited overs match.

In Ferguson's next over Rea broke loose and hit him for 4 fours - 3 in succession. 60 was now up in 18 overs. Hussain came on with his offspin when the total was 61. Lewis hit his first ball for 4 and hit a 6 to mid-wicket in his third over. 43 were added in 6.4 overs before Lewis (21) committed his indiscretion and tea was then taken. Rea was now 44.

86-2 before Lewis was out quickly became 121-7 and the match was lost. Ferguson accounted for Dunlop who hooked straight to long leg with the score on 89. Then Hussain took the next 3 wickets. He bowled very well to a 6-3 leg side field. At 97 Rea (47) pushed a full toss to mid-on. 100 came up in 30.2 overs. At 114 Patterson drove to mid-off. He left the field to wild applause but it was intended for "the local boy" Curry coming in! Curry snicked a legside 2 but his fifth ball bowled him around his legs sweeping. The cause was now lost. 19 overs were left, 112 wanted but only 3 wickets intact. C McCrum now played very well. He got 38 in 63 deliveries and had partnerships of 29 with Jackson and 25 with his brother Paul. The end came in 52.4 overs. Hussain's 3-29 in 11 overs was outstanding in line and field placing.

Derek Scott