An exciting match in which the last Irish pair had to play out 19 balls for a draw. Ireland brought in a new cap, JG Crothers, and left out PJ Dineen, GA Duffy was unable to play and was replaced by WI Lewis, thus reducing the bowling strength. LP Hughes came into the team as the third seam bowler. Due to injury he had not played since 1970. Scotland brought in McIntosh to replace Chisholm who had played in every previous match against Ireland since 1948. Robertson, the new fast bowler of 1971, was unfit and was replaced by the local fast bowler J Clark.

Due to a wet wicket just over three hours were lost before the game began. It seemed that it could have begun somewhat earlier. Goodwin was captaining Ireland for a record 19th time. He sent Scotland into bat and this was something Goodwin had not done before in his reign as captain. The last time an Irish captain had sent a team in was at Lord's in 1967 when WR Hunter did so. Scotland had never before been sent in by Ireland. Play only lasted 79 minutes before rain came on again. In this time Scotland scored 57-1. O'Riordan damaged his shoulder muscles after bowling four overs for 14 runs and did not bowl again in the match. HK More scored 12 out of 23 then drove at Goodwin and skied the ball to cover point. McIntosh and Hardie sent up 50 in 21 overs and the only false stroke was a snick for four off Goodwin. At the close McIntosh was 30 and Hardie 14.

The Ireland team and officials in front of the Glen Park pavilion

Play began late again on the second day, this time at 2 45 pm. At 69 Hardie (15) was dropped by Short (12th man) off a hard pull to mid-wicket off Hughes. At 92 Hardie (31) skied Monteith to Goodwin at long on but the ball fell just over his shoulder. McIntosh reached 50 out of 98 in 130 minutes. He was out at 113 for 57 after putting on 90 with Hardie. He was caught and bowled by Monteith. Eight runs later Hardie left for 49 to a very good right-handed slip catch by Crothers off Goodwin. Ellis joined Racionzer and the scoring rate slowed, only 17 coming in 30 minutes. Hughes, on the boundary, was too far in for a catch offered by Ellis off Monteith. The runs began to flow again and the second hundred runs came in just over even time. At 187 Lewis dropped Racionzer (43) off Goodwin at mid-on. Racionzer went to his 50 in 92 minutes and the innings closed when Ellis was caught off Hughes for 35 with the total on 219-4. Goodwin was the best bowler with 2-53 in 29 overs.

Ireland went in after tea at 5 15 pm and were all out at 7 45 pm for 106, after being 60-1. GF Goddard, the off spinner, came on at 50 for no wicket and took eight wickets in his first 10 overs! He finished with eight for 34 in 16 overs and was the first Scottish bowler ever to take eight in innings against Ireland. Goddard is a pretty ordinary offspinner and this was a lamentable and panic stricken Irish batting display. Pigot and Reith put on 50 in 56 minutes to a close set Scottish field. Pigot got all the first 17 runs and Reith was never quite in form. JM Allan came on at 42 and Goddard at 50. Reith hit Goddard's first ball for three and Pigot was stumped off the next, a full toss. Of the first ball of his third over Goddard caught and bowled Reith. 60-2-23. On the last ball of his fourth over Goddard had Anderson caught at short leg. In his next over Linehan was bowled and in his sixth over Crothers (the number three) was caught at short leg for 10. Goddard now had 5-14 in six overs. Allan bowled Lewis in the next over and the score was now 69-6. In 12 minutes O'Riordan and Goodwin added 19. Then, in his ninth over, Goddard had Goodwin caught and bowled and two balls later Monteith was caught. In his 10th over Hughes was caught in the leg trap. 90-9. O'Riordan and Colhoun then added 16. Allan went off instead of KM Hardie. J Brown, the Scottish wicket-keeper and captain, was hit in the face by a ball from Hardie and retired. More kept wicket. O'Riordan scored 19 and was out at 106 caught off Hardie. The Scottish close fielding was very good but there was little excuse for Ireland's collapse. The wicket was a slow turner but in no way vicious. Scotland went in for six minutes and scored five for no wicket, More one, McIntosh three.

Next day Ireland's three bowlers did very well. Scotland scored only 69 more runs in just under two hours before declaring. At 22 Hughes took two wickets in one over. McIntosh was bowled and BR Hardie caught behind not moving his feet. After an hour today only 31 was up. Monteith came on for Hughes and 36. At 50 Racionzer (nine) skied Monteith into the covers but Hughes could not reach the catch. Next over Reith could not hold a difficult chance off Racionzer at extra cover off Goodwin. Racionzer hit Goodwin for six over mid-on and was out next ball caught at short mid-wicket off a ball that "stopped". Now Monteith took three wickets in 10 balls. Ellis was bowled at 69, KM Hardie caught at short extra off a skier at 74 and More (37) was caught and bowled next ball. Scotland then declared leaving Ireland 190 minutes to score 188.

In 23 minutes before lunch Pigot and Reith scored 22 off the faster bowlers. 27 minutes after lunch 50 went up. The opening pair hit a succession of fours off Goddard and Allan. Goddard came off at 54 for KM Hardie. At 54 Pigot was caught at short extra cover off Allan, he played too soon. At 60 Crothers was out for nought, caught at the wicket waving at a wide ball from Allan. At 61 Anderson was caught at slip off Hardie while playing to leg. At 66 O'Riordan was caught at backward short leg pushing forward loosely at Allan. Linehan, Ireland's last hope of winning, came in and hit two sixes and a four. Goddard came back and 79. Linehan hit him for a truly enormous straight six and was then lbw. Tea was then taken. The score was 85-6 with Reith still there at 38. After tea there remained 40 minutes and 20 overs.

First of all Goddard completed his over. Lewis hit the first ball for four and scooped the third to short square leg. 89-6. Colhoun had now arrived, exalted at number eight. At 94 Reith was bowled by Hardie playing a half-hearted drive. His 41 was his last innings for Ireland before he went to live in Australia. However, it was not the end of his career as he did return some three years later. Monteith now came in. He hit all 14 of the partnership with Colhoun and was then caught at first slip jabbing forward at Hardie. Goodwin arrived with just under an hour to go. Brown crowded the bat. Goodwin's reply was to strike out into the empty outfield. Colhoun defended wonderfully with his pad sloped to kill the ball. Thompson came back at 108 and Colhoun gave More a very difficult one-handed low chance at leg slip. Goodwin's first six scoring shots were fours of Hardie. Clark had a few overs then Goddard came back. Goodwin swung him twice for four. Three men were on the boundary but Goodwin advanced to the next ball and was caught off bat and pad heaving at it. Goodwin had made 39 (eight fours) in 36 minutes off 33 balls. His stand with Colhoun was worth 51 in 36 minutes - and this was playing for a draw! For all his fine innings Goodwin was somewhat irresponsible to get out when he did. However, Hughes and Colhoun played out 19 balls from Goddard and Allan and the match was drawn. Colhoun had played the defensive innings of his life. He scored nine not out in 102 balls in 84 minutes. Goddard took 3-43 and had match figures of 11-77. In the second innings Allan had 3-18 in 24 overs. An unusual and exciting match.