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Ireland International Matches
Ireland lost to Australia A by 3 wickets
1 Day, Waringstown, 26 August 1998
Scorecard
Derek Scott

After a rest day on Monday the cavalcade moved to Waringstown on Tuesday but it rained all day. The teams then agreed to play at Waringstown on the next rest day (Thursday) so that the two scheduled games could be played at this venue.

On Wednesday the wet ground prevented a start until 2.00 p.m. and the match was reduced to 35 overs. The run ups were still very wet. The Australians left out Hayden (who was not well) and Young. Ireland were unchanged from Castle Avenue with Eagleson, Heasley and J. Davy all still injured. Ireland chose to bat and did consistently well through the innings, but not fast enough. Just over five runs per over is not enough in a 35 over match.

McCallan and Carson had 36 up in 10 overs against Gillespie and Dale. McCallan had two successive cover driven fours in Julian's first over. 50 was up in over 13 but in the next over Carson advanced, head up, to Dale and was bowled leg stump. It was a "get on-or-get-out" shot. 55-1-23. Smyth arrived and played cautiously leaving scoring to McCallan. They put on 40 against Bichel and Miller's off spin. Then, in over 21, there was good and bad for Ireland. McCallan reached 50 out of 94 but Smyth was run out - a direct hit from cover to the bowler's wicket. 95-2-10. McCallan and Waugh saw 100 up in over 23. Then McCallan, 51 off 65 balls, slashed Bichel to deep gully at 104. Dunlop kept scoring pace with Waugh in a 32 run stand off 31 balls for the 4th wicket. The pace however, had to be increased. Waugh hit Bichel for a six on the rise over long-on but lost Dunlop in the next over, the 29th. Dunlop hit a high catch to mid-wicket. 136-4-15. With Gillespie in Waugh really began to "motor". Gillespie, the bowler, came back and Waugh hit a cross batted straight drive for four, a "pick up" six over mid-wicket and a four to long off to bring up 150.

Next over he hit Julian for two fours to long-off. He reached 50 off 36 balls in the following over and perished in the 38th over. He was caught by a jumping Martyn off Julian at wide mid-wicket. 172-5-50. Gil1espie had made six of the 36 put on in 26 balls. Joyce came in with 16 balls to go. He scored off every ball he faced and saw Gillespie dropped at long-off. There were two run outs off the last two balls of the innings. Joyce hit to deep mid-on who threw down the bowler's wicket and Cooke, the non striker, failed to beat the wicket-keeper's roll to the stumps off the last ball. Dale, seven overs for 17, and Miller, seven overs for 29, did most to prevent a larger Irish total.

Hills and Campbell opened for Australia "A" to Cooke and Mooney. Mooney disposed of Hills with his fourth ball which was cut to Bushe. In his third over, at 37, Mooney should have had Campbell but Smyth could not hold on to a low catch at mid-off. McCallan replaced Cooke and saw Joyce miss Di Venuto at deep square leg, a combination of a slip and sun in his eyes. 50 came up in the next over, the eighth. Its last ball saw Di Venuto lbw trying to pull Mooney. Di Venuto had made 33 off 19 balls in a 48 run stand. Campbell had a life at square leg (Joyce) off the unfortunate Mooney at 61. This was not expensive as, two runs later, Cooke held a great diving catch low to his right at gully to dismiss Campbell and give Mooney his third wicket. 63-3-21. This in the 12th over. Martyn and Symonds were now together. Dwyer came on but for once had a bad day. Symonds hit him for six over long-on and his three overs at this stage yielded 38 runs, with Martyn's sixes over extra cover and mid-wicket. 100 was up in over 16. McCallan took the fourth wicket in the next over, Symonds being caught by Carson at long-on. 107-4-22. Julian gave McCallan a second wicket at 122. He advanced and was caught by Dunlop at mid-off.

With Hussey in Joyce replaced Dwyer for a seven over spell which was to last to the end of the innings. The sixth wicket fell at 142 to Cooke who had replaced McCallan (a splendid seven over spell and two wickets for 22). Hussey drove a catch to extra cover. The seventh wicket fell to Joyce at 148. Bichel glanced Joyce and Bushe took a magnificent one handed catch diving to his left. There were now 12 overs left but Australia "A" had seven wickets down and still needed 45. Martyn and Dale set about this cautiously. Dwyer reappeared for two overs but they cost 16 with three fours to Dale.

Mooney came back for the 31st over in which Martyn reached 50 off 57 balls. The match finished when Cooke's first two balls were hit for fours by Martyn. He finished on 59 with two sixes and three fours having faced 62 balls.

It was a good match and Ireland had fought back very well. Mooney's three for 40 in his seven over spell was very encouraging.