Because two Tests are now played at Lord's every year MCC informed Ireland that, in future, a match (one day) could now be played at Lord's every fourth year. This was the first non-Lord's match. It was intended to be a three day match but, at Ireland's request, it became three one day limited overs matches. This was to give Ireland practice for the ICC Trophy in Toronto in July. The Shenley ground was very big, well appointed, and with a good pitch. This first match was played in glorious sunshine and MCC decided to bat on winning the toss. Their star was MH Richardson, the current New Zealand left handed opening batsman. He played in all four matches -v- Ireland this week. He scored two centuries, a 77 and, in all, 300 runs at an average of 100!
The Irish 14 to travel to Toronto had already been selected and it was intended to bring them on this trip. However EC Joyce and McCoubrey had exams and Heasley was injured. Only two replacements were brought in - Neely and the uncapped Conor Armstrong, an all rounder from North County C.C. For the first match these two were left out. Mark Patterson had not played for Ireland since Kuala Lumpur in 1997 (he was with Surrey). Neither he nor Eagleson had bowled in 2000 due to injury. Both claimed to be now fit.
MCC scored 291 off their 50 overs and Ireland used all seven of their bowlers. Dropped catches made a huge difference as the highest two scorers were both put down early on. Richardson and Brogan began for MCC to Mooney and Eagleson. The stand lasted only four overs for 11 runs. Then Richardson played Eagleson to short extra and called a run. Curry threw down the striker's wicket and Brogan was run out. 11-1-3. The left handed Robinson came next. He had often played for England in the Triple Crown. This stand lasted another four overs during which both batsmen hit two fours. Then Eagleson trapped Robinson half forward with a ball which kept a little low. 34-2-9. The portly JD Bean was next. He started shakily but proved to be a fine striker of the ball, 72 off 79 balls proved this.
50 was up in 10 overs. Patterson was tried but looked a completely different bowler to that of four years ago, in run up, action and pace. His three overs yielded 23. Dwyer replaced him and in his second over there came the first dropped catch. The score was 71, Richardson was 31. The ball lobbed to short square leg. Eagleson dived to his left but could not hold on when his elbows hit the ground. McCallan replaced Eagleson and bowled well. His 10 overs cost 41, all but 12 of them in singles. Richardson went to 50 and 100 came up in over 22. At the half way mark the score was 112. Then, in over 27, came the second chance at 116. Bean (32) drove a fierce low catch back to Dwyer's right. He caught it two handed but could not hold on. Strangely Dwyer came off after this his seventh over (for 31).
Curry replaced him and gave up 31 in three overs. 150 was up in the 32nd over. In the next over (Curry) Bean went to 50 with a six and repeated the stroke next ball - an 18 run over. Four overs at this point cost 39. Relief was at hand. White came on for the 35th over and in his second over he bowled Bean as he came down the pitch. 192-3-72. The stand of 158 lasted 28 overs. Before he scored De Bruyn gave a difficult chance to Molins at deep square leg off White. The latter was now bowling with Mooney. After 40 overs 202 was on the board. In the next over Richardson went to 100 with a four which was misfielded on the boundary. He faced 132 balls.
In the last ten overs, from 40 to 50, 89 runs were scored, 60 of these in the last five bowled by Mooney White and Eagleson. Richardson was finally dismissed in over 46 - a very quick leg side stumping by Andy Patterson off Mooney. 241-4-117. Jeh came in and scored over every ball he faced including a six off Eagleson. De Bruyn also hit out. There was a six off White and another off Eagleson with the last ball of the innings, the final over costing 16. De Bruyn's 47 came in 43 balls, Jeh's 20 in 10 balls. In all there were 28 boundaries yielding 122 runs. Only Dwyer and McCallan emerged with reasonable bowling figures, and Dwyer bowled but seven overs.
Ireland's reply began at 3.15 p.m. with D Joyce and Curry opening, Curry playing for the first time since 1997. West Indian Prince and Jeh opened the bowling. The opening stand lasted five balls. Curry called an impossible run and Joyce was beaten to the striker's end by a direct hit, giving the scoreboard an unusual 'Nelson' 1-1-1. Curry, joined by Davy, hit two fours and then, in the fifth over, mistimed a pull off a long hop, to mid-wicket. 20-2-11. Molins joined Davy but this stand lasted only until the eighth over. Davy was bowled driving fairly wildly at Jeh. 34-3-14.
McCallan was next and scoring was brisk, led by Molins. De Bruyn came on for Prince but 50 was up in 12 overs. The new bowler struck in his third over at 62. McCallan had faced only 16 balls of the 42 ball stand of 28 when he nibbled badly and was caught at the wicket. 62-4-8. Molins was dropped at long leg when 22 at 67 but did not profit. At 76, in the 20th over, he drove Jeh to mid-off in the bowler's final over (two for 24). 76-5-25. Andy Patterson was unlucky in De Bruyn's next over. He played on when the ball spun back off his bat. 77-6-1 MCC now, beyond question, took their foot off the pedal giving Mooney and White an easy passage. Bowett, medium pace bowled until Ireland were all out (nine overs for 47). Grant, leg spin, bowled five overs for 53. Each took a wicket.
Mooney attacked at once. With two fours off Grant's first over he brought up 100 in the 25th over. He was lucky in Bowett's next over. He was 21 when Richardson dropped him at mid-off. The next two overs increased the score by 21 but at 134 in over 29 Mooney miscued at Grant and was caught in the outfield. 134-7-34. The stand of 57 came off 49 balls. Joined by Mark Patterson White began to hit out. With a six off Grant he brought up 150 in over 31 and in the next over he went to his own 50 off 45 balls. In four overs, he was out to the last ball of the fourth, White scored 34 runs including two sixes and four fours. He then skied to deepish mid-off to give Grant a wicket off the last ball he bowled. The stand was 43 off 31 balls, of which Mark Patterson made 5! White's 69 came in 57 balls with 44 in boundaries.
The boundary count in each innings was reasonably close, 28 to 22 which showed up MCC's ability to work the ball around for singles and twos.
Prince came back to finish the innings and this he did in 17 balls. Patterson was lbw half forward and Dwyer was caught at backward gully. The end came with one ball of the 39th over left.
The Irish scoring rate was only five runs short of five per over but this was due to Bowett and Grant yielding 100 runs in 14 overs. Prince took three for 31 in 7.5 overs of fast bowling and Jeh had two for 24 in 10.