A sunny day, the biggest crowd yet at a home Nat West match, but a disappointing Irish display. The Clontarf pitch, for once, suited the visitors. The ball seamed about and Durham's bowlers bowled straight. A target of 306 was probably not possible to a Test team on this pitch. It was Durham's first Nat West match as a first class County. They had collected various players from other counties. DA Graveney (formerly of Gloucester and Somerset) was captain, Larkins came from Northampton, Parker from Sussex, Hughes from Middlesex, McEwan from Worcestershire, Jones was their unqualified Australian Test batsmen. Botham (formerly of Somerset and Worcestershire) was unable to play due to a broken toe sustained in the Lords Test against Pakistan which had just finished. The defeat would have been less if Larkins had not been dropped when 30 and again when 51. Six wickets were down for 230 in the 53rd over but a further 75 were put on in the next 7.2 overs.

Ireland recalled the now available Jackson and Nelson and left out Moore and Patterson from the Scottish match. Larkins and the Durham born Glendenen started to the bowling of P McCrum and Nelson. Glendenen scored 18 of the first 24 but, in the seventh over, was well held low by Warke at slip off P McCrum. The next wicket did not fall until the 42nd over! In that time, 115 minutes, Larkins and Jones put on 162. 50 was up in 15.2 overs. Lewis came on with the score at 52, Hoey with the score at 69. At 78 in Lewis's fourth over Larkins chipped to square leg were McBrine dropped the catch and conceded four overthrows in his frustration. 100 was up in 27.3 overs. Larkins went to his 50 in 97 minutes but, when 51 and the total on 106, Lewis was again unlucky. Larkins hit a high hard catch to extra-cover which Graham could not cling on to. Lewis's eight overs yielded 44 and McBrine replaced him. 150 came up in 34.2 overs. Lunch came after 40 overs with the score at 177-1, Larkins 99, Jones, who had batted carefully, 44.

Dunlop took over from McBrine and, first ball after lunch, Larkins hit him for 4 to go to 103 in 135 minutes, the second 50 coming in only 38 minutes. Hoey had one more over and bowled Jones for 46 with his second last ball and the score at 186. Now wickets fell regularly. 186-1 in 42 overs became 230-6 in 53 overs. 200 came up in 44.1 overs. Then Warke caught Larkins brilliantly at mid-on off the bowling of Dunlop at 203. Larkins batted 151 minutes and faced 133 deliveries for his 113 with 3 sixes and 16 fours. In his next over Dunlop had Parker caught at long-off. 210-4. In the next over McBrine bowled Smith. 217-5. Three overs later Dunlop bowled Fothergill. It was now 230-6 in 52.4 overs. The next 7.2 overs showed the professionalism of first-class players. 75 runs were scored by Briers and McEwan. They hit 2 sixes and only 8 fours but only 10 balls were not scored off. Dunlop's 3-45 in 8 overs was Ireland's best bowling.

Warke and Rea began the Irish reply at 2:46 PM to the bowling of Wood and Hughes. With the score at 13 Rea (2) was dropped by Smith at second slip off Wood. Rea hit a 4 and 3 in Woods fifth over but it's last ball saw Warke caught at the wicket. 24-1-10. Graham was the first of 3 successive LBW dismissals but first Rea was bowled by Hughes for 20 with the score at 32 in the sixth over. Wood and Hughes came off after six overs each. On came Smith and McEwan. Graham was LBW to McEwan at 44 and Lewis to Smith at the same score - though this one looked too high. At 59 Dunlop completed the LBW's in the 23rd over. Next over McEwan took two wickets. C McCrum was caught at slip and Jackson caught at the wicket. The score was now 63-7. Tea came after 26 overs with the total at 79-7. McBrine and Hoey saw 100 up in 30.3 overs. McBrine hit 6 fours in his 23 ball 30 before McEwan bowled him with the score at 105. Wood, coming back, had P McCrum caught at the wicket at 115 and Briers, with his second ball, had Hoey caught. It was 5:42 PM and Ireland were all out in 37.2 overs.

Trevor Bailey gave the Man-of-the-Match award to McEwan for his 34 not out in 25 minutes and 4-41 in 12 overs.