CJM Kenny was selected to replace Ferguson but cried off because of injury and was replaced by DM Pratt. Pratt is a nephew of TG McVeagh. Pratt was a new cap and he had an astonishing second innings. SSJ Huey was now available and he replaced McQuilken. The Selector's policy of replacing Kenny (a bowler) by a batsmen seemed a good idea in view of the fact that this was a two-day match against a County team. The match was played at the Pembroke CC ground, a new venue. All the arrangements, and the wicket, were excellent but the "gate" for the two days was only £48. This was Leicestershire's fourth match against Ireland in five years and the only new player they had was Clive Inman, a left hander from Ceylon, who ended the season very high up in the batting averages. Leicester, in 1963, finished second last in the County championship, winning only three matches.

Due to a wet ground play did not start on the first day until 2:15 PM. Ireland won the toss and batted for three hours and then declared at 5:35 PM at 105-5. McCloy batted splendidly scoring 41 in 107 minutes. The bulk of the bowling was done by Smith (left arm slow) and Savage (off-spinner, who took over 100 wickets in 1963). The batting, particularly that of Duffy, before the declaration was rather strange, only 24 runs coming in 44 minutes. Smith conceded only 16 runs in 18 overs.

Leicester got away to a bad start, Hunter bowling Hallam with an off cutter in the first over. Jayasinghe played some good shots and hit three fours before being caught at the wicket off Hunter. 32-to-19. Huey came on and in his third over pitched one on Inman's off stump and hit the leg. 35-3-1. At 41-3 play ended (Bird 13, Wharton 6). In 15 minutes next morning Leicester added another 66 runs and declared two runs ahead. Wharton made 40 not out, batting an hour in all. He hit a six and Van Geloven hit two.

In half an hour's play before lunch Bergin and McCloy made 17 and after 50 minutes play Savage bowled McCloy with the score at 31. It was after 3 PM when Bergin was caught at gully off Savage. He had made 35 out of 61 but a teatime declaration was to be aimed at and Ireland were not going fast enough. Martin was out for 1 and Hunter for 7. At this point Duffy arrived and made seven runs in an hour up to the tea interval - an inexplicable innings. By teatime Matier and Lewis were also out and the score was only 113-6 - not enough for a declaration. During the tea interval harsh words were probably spoken to Duffy and Pratt because in four overs afterwards from Savage and Smith 48 runs were scored - 27 by Pratt and 21 by Duffy. In the last over of all Savage kept the ball well up to Pratt who hit 6-6-4-4-6 off him, 26 runs by means of clean hits with a full swing of the bat. The unscored off ball, the fourth, was driven straight and hit the non-striker Duffy a resounding whack! This was certainly an extraordinary debut for Pratt who had scored 40 not out. Duffy had made 21 and 28, both not out, but was dropped from the team. He seemed determined to be not out and was not prepared to try for quick runs when they were needed.

Hallam and Bird set off after 160 runs in 105 minutes on an afternoon of glorious sunshine. Bird was out for 0 caught by O'Riordan at mid-on off Hunter. Then, in 58 minutes, Hallam and Jayasinghe added 104. Both produced some wonderful strokes, particularly Jayasinghe. He got stuck on 49 and Hallam was first to 50. Hunter was hit for 19 in one over. Huey might have been tried earlier and in his fourth over he bowled Jayasinghe for 50 when the total was 104. CT Spencer was promoted to number 4 to hit. He lost Hallam at 125, stumped by Colhoun off Huey for 61 scored in 80 minutes. A run a minute was now required and easily achieved despite the loss of two more wickets. Spencer hit two sixes and Van Geloven one and the match was won with 15 minutes to spare.

Bergin made a splendid one-handed catch running backwards at mid-on to dismiss Wharton and when O'Riordan had Bird caught in the first innings he had taken 50 wickets for Ireland.