Australia "A" won the toss and batted. They were 30 for three in the eighth over but Ireland's good play ended at that point. Hayden and Campbell began to Davy and Heasley. In the fifth over Davy pitched one on middle and leg to Hayden and hit the off stump keeping a little low.18-1-8. In the eighth over Heasley took two wickets at 29 and 30. First he moved one away from the left handed Hills who was caught low down by the only slip. Three balls later Campbell was caught, superbly, overhead by McCallan at extra-cover. Di Venuto joined Martyn and hit Heasley for two square cut fours in his next over. Heasley, two for 25 in five overs, was taken off and did not bowl again. Cooke and McCallan came on for six overs each. Dunlop retired with a foot injury after 13 overs. Smyth took over the captaincy and Gavin Lyness, son of Given, came on to field. The scoring rate was fast. 50 was up in the 11th over and 100 in the 23rd. Dwyer came on for the first time for over 24, at 110, and Joyce bowled the next over. In the next over Di Venuto reached 50 and at the same time raised the 100 partnership. Di Venuto's 50 was off 51 balls and the century stand in 154 balls.

Smyth dropped Di Venuto at extra-cover off Joyce but the miss was inexpensive. Dwyer, in the next over, spun one into the left handed Di Venuto and he snicked it into his stumps. 139-4-52. Symonds joined Martyn who went to 50 at 151 in the 30th over from 67 balls. Dwyer, at third man, made a great effort to catch Symonds one handed off Joyce at 165. On the second ball of Dwyer's next over Symonds was caught, chest high, at long-off by Cooke. 166-5-11 . Hussey was next and Martyn increased his scoring rate. When he was 15, at 181, Davy dropped him at short mid-wicket off Dwyer - a fast waist high catch to the left. The score was 188 after 40 overs. The 42nd over was Dwyer's last (two for 37) and Davy was also finished. 200 came in over 43. Cooke and McCallan then bowled the last eight overs. Three wickets fell but 71 runs were scored.

Martyn raised 200 in the 43rd over with a six off McCallan over wide long-on. Then Dwyer misjudged a catch at long-on hoisted by Hussey off Cooke. It fell over his head for four. Martyn fell for 98 at 219. He lapped McCa1lan to short fine leg where Waugh took the catch in the 45th over. Martyn faced 124 balls and hit two sixes and four fours.

Young joined Hussey and 20 were added in 16 balls. Hussey hit Cooke for a big six over mid-wicket. Then he swung wildly at Cooke and was bowled in the 48th over. 239-7-22. In the same over Young skied a high catch to McCallan at cover, Bichel hit a six over long-on and skied a ball between cover and third man - an eventful over. Bichel enjoyed himself and added 28 with Dale in the last 14 balls of the innings. Bichel hit Cooke for another six over wide long-on and scored 23 off eight balls. Dwyer was easily Ireland's best bowler followed by Davy.

Ireland's reply was entirely Smyth. In his 66th innings he opened for only the third time. He made exactly 50 off 81 balls. He hit five of the eight fours in the innings and was seventh out at 94. Waugh made 17. The other nine batsmen made 14 between them and there were 17 extras. McCallan opened with Smyth. Bichel and Dale opened the bowling. The last ball of the first over seamed away from McCallan. He followed it and was caught at the wicket by Hussey. Waugh came in at number three and watched Smyth square cut and glance Dale for fours. Waugh was dropped twice - both off Bichel, at cover and slip. He did not benefit. At 38, in the 9th over, he pushed forward at Bichel and was caught at the wicket.

In the next over (Dale) Gillespie pushed forward and played on. Joyce joined Smyth and brought 50 up in the 11th over. Then Joyce opened his account with a six over square leg off Bichel. Gillespie replaced Bichel but Dale bowled on and got Joyce at 71. He was caught at cover. 71-4-8. One run came in the next 16 balls. It was scored by Dunlop who then gave third slip a simple catch off Gillespie. Heasley came in and kept Smyth company while 16 were added.

Dale bowled out his 10 overs (two for 35) and was replaced by Symonds. He and Young (slow left arm) took the last five wickets for 10 runs - four of them to Symonds. Heasley was caught at slip at 88. Smyth reached his 50 in over 27 from 80 balls. He was out to Symonds from the first ball of the over. Hussey dived high and wide across first slip and caught a left handed catch. Cooke was stumped off Young, Davy caught at third man, and Bushe lbw (both of Symonds). The three wickets fell to three successive legal balls with two Symonds wides between the ninth and tenth wickets.

Symonds took four for 13 in 4.2 overs. Gillespie had one for seven in six overs and Young one for three in two overs.

Derek Scott