In 2005 Ireland should have played MCC in England but MCC readily agreed to come to Ireland out of turn (saving the ICU a lot of money) and play 2 limited overs matches, to help Ireland to prepare for the ICC Trophy to be played in the first two weeks of July.

MCC had perhaps one of the weakest teams ever, particularly in the bowling department. The team was captained by Darren Bicknell of Nottinghamshire who was to be the star batsman but who only made 48 runs in his two innings. Also in the team was I Flanagan (Essex) and JPJ Sylvester who had played for Wales v Ireland. There were two Irish based players who were qualifying for MCC playing membership. These were ex Irish International Derek Heasley (60 Irish caps 1996 to 2002) and an Australian playing for Phoenix, David Langford-Smith.

Ireland fielded only four of the team who had played Yorkshire (Botha; McCallan; Gillespie and Joyce). The rest of the selected team was JAM Molins (Captain), JP Bray WK McCallan; AGAM McCoubrey (all of whom were unfit); G Cooke (work) PJK Mooney, JF Mooney and N Shoukat (all of whom played). McCoubrey when selected was only available for the first match and GJ Thompson (who did not play in 2004 one day matches) replaced him for the second match. Others who had played against Yorkshire and were not available were EJG Morgan (Exams); DT Johnston (work) and J Botha (ineligible). In came two new caps. Mark Hutchinson, a batsman, made his debut on his home ground at Bangor, replacing Molins. Gary Wilson, a 19 year old wicket keeper, from Civil Service/North replaced Bray. He had played for Ireland at every level from Under 13 upwards. The team for the first match was completed by CM Armstrong and RT Coetzee, neither of whom had played in 2004. Coetzee continued in his winning vein. Ireland won this match so Coetzee, whose career began in 2003, had now played eight and won eight. Nobody has won as many from debut for Ireland.

The second great feat, and a new record, was Peter Gillespie's 102 not out from 47 balls. This is the quickest hundred made for Ireland both in terms of balls faced (47) and minutes batted (50). The previous record was John Prior's record v Warwickshire which was 51 balls and 51 minutes in a two day game. Gillespie's innings began at 1.17 p.m. at the fall of the third wicket with the score on 218 and two balls bowled in the 39th over. 70 balls later the innings ended at 351 for 4 at 2.07 p.m. Gillespie faced 47 of those 70 balls. He failed to score off 10 balls. He had 13 singles, nine twos, one three, eight fours and six sixes in his 102*. 133 runs were put on off these final 70 balls with Armstrong (13 runs) and Hutchinson (7*) as Gillespie's partners. There were 11 extras. It was Gillespie's first century for Ireland in his 85th innings and came after two near misses. After 47 overs he was 64 and a century did not look possible. However he managed 15 in the 48th over with two sixes. The came 12 in the 49th over. He was now 91. He faced the last over and scored a two and a single. Now at 94 he lost the strike. Hutchinson's single off the third ball gave the strike back to Gillespie. The fourth ball yielded a two but then, horror, a dot ball. He needed a four off the last ball but achieved his goal in style with a six over backward square leg. It was a remarkable innings with all too few people to see it.

The match started just before 11.00 a.m. on a good pitch which was the correct beige colour. The day was mostly overcast with a somewhat chilly sea breeze blowing down the ground. This 595th match played by Ireland was the first ever played at the Bangor ground but it was not well supported by spectators.

McCallan took over the captaincy and won the toss as his first duty. Coloured clothing was used with Holywood CC lending the MCC their kit. The left handed Armstrong opened the innings for the fourth time in his career and was joined by Joyce, likewise his fourth time to open. The progression through the monumental innings was as follows:

10 overs: 57-0, 20 overs: 119-0, 30 overs: 165-2, 40 overs 230-3.

The final 10 overs with Gillespie to the fore generated 121 runs with one more wicket lost.

Langford-Smith at fast medium opened the bowling with Bourke who was no more than medium. Armstrong hit a four to extra cover in the second over and Joyce two fours off successive balls in the fifth over to the same area. Next over saw Armstrong hit fours to extra cover followed by a square cut. In over nine Joyce had a square driven four and, next over, a four to long-off. In Langford-Smith's sixth and last over Armstrong had square cut and late cut fours. In Bourke's next over Joyce was dropped at long-off with the score on 66. Clampole replaced Langford-Smith (31 in six overs). Scoring slowed a little but 100 was up in over 17. Sparrow replaced Bourke (43 in eight overs). Sparrow was medium paced with a slingy action. Off the last ball Joyce hit a four to mid-wicket which gave him exactly 50 out of 107 from 46 balls. Not long afterwards, in over 21, Joyce was out when he returned a simple catch to Clampole. 121-1-56. Joyce hit 8 fours. This left Joyce on 999 runs after 45 innings.

Botha came in and faced eight balls for two runs before being out to a quick off side stumping. 131-2-2. Botha however did see Armstrong go to his first 50 for Ireland in over 23 off 81 balls. It was his 18th innings with a previous highest score of 38. In came McCallan whose previous three innings of 2005 had all been not out. He dominated the next stand of 87 from 91 balls scoring an even 50 himself from 54 balls with a six and five fours. He faced eight balls without scoring and then hit Sparrow (in his last over) for a six over long-off. The 25 over (half way) score was 131. Off spinner Flanagan (ex-Essex) now came on for a spell while Heasley, Langford-Smith and Bourke had two over stints at the other end. Flanagan did well at the start giving up 28 runs in five overs. 150 was up in over 27 and neither batsman had much trouble although in over 30 Armstrong appeared to be dropped by wicket-keeper Fitzgerald off Flanagan. After 30 overs the score was 165 so, with only two wickets down, 350 seemed possible. Armstrong now slowed down but McCallan picked up the tempo and reached 50 in over 38 from 52 balls with a six and five fours. Next over McCallan was caught at the wicket cutting at Bourke. 218-3-50. Gillespie arrived after 39.2 overs with Armstrong on 77. He arrived at 70 in over 32. By over 45 he had moved to 90 but was out at that score. Heasley was in a second spell. Armstrong backed away to cut, lifted his foot and was stumped. 211-4-90. He faced 136 balls with 10 fours.

With 32 balls left the new cap Hutchinson arrived. He faced only seven of those balls while Gillespie faced the other 25 and scored an incredible 70 runs from them. 46th over (Sparrow) saw Gillespie hit two sixes and 2 fours in a 21 run over. Langford-Smith's next over (47th) saw 10 runs scored and 300 come up. Clampole's next over (48th) cost 16 runs with two sixes to Gillespie. When he reached 61 Gillespie had reached 2000 runs in 85 innings, the 12th Irish player to reach this target. The 49th over (Langford-Smith) cost 15 - 12 of them going to Gillespie. The dramatic last over has been described earlier.

MCC used six bowlers - four of whom took a wicket each. None of them gave up less than six runs per over but four maidens were bowled. The MCC fielding was very ordinary and Ireland's boundary tally was seven sixes and 31 fours.

MCC began their reply just before 3.00 needing nearly seven runs per over. They never came on par with the rate required. By over 10 MCC were 15 runs short of the rate required, 39 runs short after 20 overs, 75 short after 30 and 98 short after 40. MCC's best 10 overs were between overs 41 and 50 when 75 runs were put on. Ireland could only take eight MCC wickets and 257 runs was a respectable reply to Ireland's 351.

Sylvester and Flanagan, both experienced players, opened to the bowling of P Mooney and Shoukat. Fours flowed in the first few overs. Flanagan hit two off Mooney and Sylvester two off Shoukat. Them in his third over, Shoukat gave up 15 runs and had to be replaced. Before Botha could come on for Shoukat Flanagan was out to P.Mooney in the seventh over. He skied to Gillespie at mid-off. 39-1-22. Sylvester hit a four in Botha's first over and Evans hit two successive fours off Mooney. The second wicket fell in the 11th over - again to Mooney. Evans pushed out, snicked and gave Wilson his first wicket-keeping dismissal. 55-2-10. Then came the left handed Bicknell. It was probable that only he had enough experience to win the match for MCC He started quietly but took two fours off a Botha over. By over 19 the score was 91 and P.Mooney had bowled 10 overs off the reel for 35 runs and two wickets. He sustained his pace very well and conceded only one wide.

In a double change Coetzee and McCallan came on and did very well. Between them in this period they bowled 14 overs for 61 runs and two wickets. Sylvester hit a six over long-on in Coetzee's first over in which 100 came up (over 20). In the 22nd over J Mooney nearly held on to a difficult catch at mid-wicket given by Sylvester off Coetzee. The miss was not expensive. Two balls later Sylvester returned a low but easy catch to Coetzee. 106-3-42. Heasley joined his captain in the 23rd over. The 25 over score was 114 with par now standing at 175. The fourth wicket pair added 22. Then Bicknell went back to drive McCallan and must have lifted or dragged his foot because he was out to a very quick stumping by Wilson. 128-4-31.

Heasley, unusually for him, progressed all in singles except for one four off Coetzee. Then, for over 33, J Mooney replaced McCallan. His second ball got Heasley caught at the wicket. 148-5-18. Opening bowler Bourke now joined wicket-keeper Fitzgerald. Shoukat relieved Coetzee (one for 39 in eight overs) but only for one over which cost 10, including two wides and a no-ball. McCallan came back to finish his 10 overs. In over 37 Bourke gave P.Mooney a chance at long-off at 166. It was off his brother John! Again the miss was not very expensive. Three overs and 16 runs later, Bourke was out. He swept at McCallan and the ball popped up to Wilson - his fourth victim out of six. 182-6-18. Fitzgerald was out to the first ball of the next over. He was lbw playing back to J.Mooney. 184-7-24.

Only one more wicket fell. Shoukat replaced J Mooney and his first ball gave Wilson his fifth victim out of eight - a wonderful debut. Langford-Smith joined Clampole and they put on 64 in the last eight overs. No attempt was made to use attacking fielders in order to bowl MCC out and Ireland must have been disappointed not to do so. Clampole hit McCallan for a six in his last over which brought 200 up. Langford-Smith hit a four in three successive overs (Shoukat and Botha). The 49th over (Shoukat) gave up 16 runs including a six over extra cover by Clampole. He ended with 46 from only 32 balls with two sixes and three fours and Langford-Smith 23 off 22 balls.

Ireland used six bowlers. The Mooney brothers were the least expensive and took two wickets each. McCallan, in his 10 overs, also had two wickets, for 41. Shoukat was off form giving up 70 runs in his eight overs. Ireland's fielding was excellent.