Denmark was much improved and, if they had gone quicker in their second innings, and declared earlier, they would have won. They toured Canada last autumn and have beaten East Africa and got the better of a draw against Holland in 1975. Their three main bowlers bowled very well and their fielding was excellent. Mortensen is a good stern Captain and the team is well ordered and disciplined. Ringsted is 30 miles from Copenhagen and the ground was pleasant and circular. The outfield was very slow but the mat was of a good fast pace. However, it cost the ICU £1600 to play there of which 50% was raised by the players. There was a dinner on the second evening which was very good indeed.

For Ireland Harrison and Monteith were not available. Corlett returned for Monteith. The match began at 10 AM and the first two days were of seven hours each but rain shortened the first day. Denmark began by losing Luther and Talbro for 11, both caught off Corlett. Sorenson and Buus then had a long stand. 8 minutes were lost for rain and at lunch the score was 66-2, Sorenson 31, Buus 22. Both were a little lucky with balls which did not go to hand. Rain delayed the restart by 48 minutes Corlett came back and at 77 had Sorenson (37) caught at second slip.

At tea the score was 90-3, somewhat slow going. 100 came up in 174 minutes off 50 overs. Then Morild began to hit and 37 came up in the next 25 minutes At 137 Buus was caught behind the wicket off Corlett for a painstaking 45. At once Goodwin dropped Morild at long-on. The score reached 152-4 but then subsided to 182 all out. Hansen was caught at first slip off Halliday at 152 and, next ball, (from Corlett) Morild was caught at square point by O'Riordan. In his 49 Morild had hit four sixes and four fours. At 154 Jensen was run out going for two to Short at long leg. Sent back he slipped and failed to beat a wide throw. At 155 Isaacson was dropped at short-leg by Anderson off Corlett but at 163 Reith caught him at slip off Corlett. Rain caused a 17 minutes stoppage. At 182 Mortensen (24), having hit Corlett for 6-4-4, was then caught by Reith (his fourth catch) off Colhoun's glove. Petersson was bowled by Torrens who had just relieved Halliday. Corlett emerged as the bowling star with 7-69 in 24 overs. He sustained his hostility very well. Halliday was relatively expensive and O'Riordan only bowled six overs of 69. Rain prevented Ireland from batting for 25 minutes before close of play.

Next day Reith swung at Mortensen in the very first over and was caught at slip for no score. O'Brien was caught at slip with the total on nine off Petersson who was a new useful fast bowler. Anderson was in his best form and he and Short took the score to 53-2 in two hours to lunch. Short, who had a torrid time, was 17 and Anderson 30. Morild dropped Short in the gully off Mortensen in the first over after lunch. When 38, and the score on 62, Anderson seem to lose concentration and snicked Mortensen to the wicket keeper. A collapse now followed only relieved by an eighth wicket stand of 26. Short, 17 in 142 minutes, was lbw at 63. At 71 Linehan, after missing a few attempted drives, was caught at long off. O'Riordan was lbw at 74 and Torrens was caught behind at 77. Corlett and Halliday stood firm and added 26. Morild came back for Petersson. Corlett hit him for two fours and was then wonderfully caught at short square leg by Mortensen. 103-8-17. Goodwin was caught behind at 104 and Halliday bowled at the same score. This was poor batting but the catching was excellent as was the bowling of Mortensen, Petersson and Morild. Mortensen bowled 31 overs out of 69 and took 6-36 with fastish cutters.

Tea was taken and Denmark went in with 170 minutes to play to the close. Luther and Talbro scored 53 in 65 minutes with some luck on their side. O'Riordan had come on and in his fourth over Halliday dived to his left and caught Luther (30) at square leg. O'Riordan conceded 10 in his next over and did not bowl again. Goodwin bowled the next over and Reith dropped a high slip catch offered by Talbro. At 73 Sorenson was caught at cover cutting at a short ball from Goodwin. Now Talbro and Morild added 55 in 38 minutes Morild hit Goodwin for two sixes and for 16 in the over. Goodwin had conceded 45 in his eight overs. At 5:47 PM Denmark led by 200 and might well have thought of declaring, considering the slow scoring rate in the match to date. From Talbro's dismissal with 40 minutes to go, Denmark scored only 22 more runs. Torrens and Corlett returned. Talbro (47) was bowled by Torrens with the score on 128 and, in the same over, at 129, Goodwin ran from long on to long off to catch Morild (33). At 133 Torrens bowled Jensen and at the same score Buus (17 minutes for 0) was caught at cover off Corlett. Hansen and Mortensen added 17 in the last 13 minutes This had been a very hot sunny day. Torrens, for once bowling well in a second innings, had 3-39 in 14 overs.

Denmark declared next day which was one of 240 minutes; Ireland required 229 to win. There was no chance of this and the question was whether Ireland could hold out. 11 runs came in 35 minutes when Petersson uprooted Reith's stumps. At 14 Short was dropped at slip off Petersson but was caught up the wicket lunging at Petersson at 18. In his next over Petersson got one to jump at Anderson and Morild took a good catch in the gully. 18-3 after 76 minutes O'Brien and O'Riordan now began to repair the damage and were still there at lunch - the halfway mark.

The score then was 40-3 in 33 overs. O'Brien 16, O'Riordan six. In the third over after lunch O'Brien was caught at leg slip off Morild when playing forward. His 16 in 90 minutes greatly helped to save the match. Linehan now joined O'Riordan. They stayed for 62 minutes and added 40. Mortensen came off after bowling 23 overs. Luther, a leg spinner, was tried. In the third over of the last 20, Schaumann, another leg spinner, was tried. He got Linehan (14) lbw at once with a quicker ball. Corlett kept the immaculate O'Riordan company until the eighth over of the last 20, which was given to Sorenson, slow left arm. He had Corlett lbw with the last ball which came on to him. Colhoun came in next to "prop". Mortensen returned and bowled Colhoun in the 13th over of the last 20. Denmark fitted in eight more overs but O'Riordan and Torrens stood firm. It was surprising that Petersson, who had 3-11 in 13 overs, was not brought back in the last 20.

O'Riordan was superb. He batted steadfastly for 153 minutes for his 39 not out. He was the rock on which the match was saved. This match turned out to be the last match for Goodwin and also for Alfie Linehan. Linehan had captained the last six matches of his 11 match career (1971-75)