Irish Cricket Archives masthead
Ireland International Matches
Wales lost to Ireland by 10 wickets
3 Day, Marchwiel, 18-20 August 1979
Scorecard
Derek Scott

Ireland beat Wales with over two hours to spare - the first Irish win on Welsh soil since 1923. The party travelled by train to Chester. A coach took them to the lovely Marchwiel ground (McAlpines) for training and then to their base at Llangotten, 10 miles to the West. Rain made the wicket soft for this match and it never hardened due to night rain and dew. Only the wicket ends were covered. There was rain all around the area but it largely missed this elevated ground and there was quite a deal of sunshine. Ireland had the bowlers to exploit the conditions and Wales did not in the absence of W Slade. The Irish team was unchanged from that which drew with MCC. New on the Welsh side were W Harries, PC Lloyd, B Nagle and DW Lewis (who had played for MCC v Ireland at Lords).

Ireland won the toss and asked Wales to bat. They started very slowly. Morgan was caught behind for 4 in Elder's second over to give the bowler his 50th wicket for Ireland. Jones and Samuel dug in for 95 minutes and added 58. When the effect of the roller seemed to be wearing off Monteith came on with the score on 23 for the 14th over but went off after bowling six overs. Halliday came on with the score on 42 for the 26th over. Just before lunch Samuel swept Halliday to deep square leg where Reith took a good running catch. Lunch came after 39 overs with the score 65-2, Jones 32, Ellis 2. The pace now quickened and Ellis advanced in boundaries. Monteith and Halliday were now in tandem. The sun shone and the ball began to bite. With the score on 95 Jones got a lifter from Monteith and was caught by Short at point. He had batted 175 minutes for his 39. Now the folly of not scoring quickly before the wicket began to dry was shown up. 95-2 became 141 all out, the last six wickets going down for the addition of 23. Ellis (23) left at 109 when he chopped a ball from Halliday, which kept low, on to his wicket. As 118 Harrison did well to hold on to a fierce rising drive at mid-on to get Bell off the bowling of Monteith. As the batsmen tried to defend Monteith got the next three at intervals. At 122 Edwards was caught at slip off a slow lifter. At 124 Lloyd pushed on the leg side and was caught at point as the ball spun and at 130 Lewis was LBW sweeping. Harries, at number five, had stuck at it for 106 minutes scoring 16 when he was bowled by Halliday driving off the back foot. When Owen swung across Monteith all was over for 141. Monteith had taken 6-37 in 32.4 overs. The wicket was taking spin but slowly.

Reith scored a two in the first over but he did not score again. He was out when the total had reached 20. He drove at Nagle and Lewis took a good catch at backward square leg. Short started at a great pace but was out in the seventh over for 25 scored out of 29. He cut at a wide ball from Nagle without using his feet. In the ninth over, at 39, Nagle bowled Anderson. Nagle now had 3-17. O'Brien and Johnston slowly retrieved the situation. In 46 minutes they added 27. Edwards (left arm) and Ellis (off spin) bowled a series of maiden overs. Then O'Brien (with 8 minutes to go) swept upwards at Ellis and Morgan took a very good catch at deep square leg running in. The last nine overs of the day were maidens and the closing score was 66-4, Johnston 11, Harrison 0. Ireland had batted carelessly.

Sunday began overcast with a heavy dew. The sun came out for the start at noon. The pitch seemed better today. Johnston and Harrison played themselves in against Owen and Nagle and then turned to attack. Both reached 50 but were out before any big advantage was obtained. The sequence of maidens overnight extended to 11 but 100 was up in the 47th over and 150 11 overs later. Johnston went to his 50 in 148 minutes and Harrison to his in 102. At 161 Ellis bowled Harrison for 54. The stand was worth 95. Lunch was taken with the score on 170-5 in 66 overs, Johnston 56, Monteith 2. At 179 Johnston was LBW to Ellis for 64, his first 50 for Ireland. Nine runs later Corlett was caught. The lead was 47 and there were three wickets left to fall. Monteith was now 9 and had been dropped by Ellis at first slip off Edwards. Halliday helped Monteith to add 40 of which Halliday made 6 and Monteith 31. Then Halliday spooned Owen, with the new ball, to mid wicket where the substitute fielder (Jones had broken his finger) made a very good catch. Elder came in with a Jumbo bat loaned to him by O'Brien. In 13 previous innings for Ireland his aggregate was 23 with a highest score of 7. Now he and Monteith added 52 straddling the tea interval, in 65 minutes. Monteith played very well and hit a series of boundaries to all parts. He reached 50 in 106 minutes. The score was 267-8, Monteith 62, Elder 17. Eventually Monteith (73 in 112 minutes, 10 boundaries) hoisted Ellis to midwicket. Bushe helped Elder bring 300 up. The latter reached 28 before being stumped and had thus scored his 50th run and taken his 50th wicket in the same match. 113.3 overs were bowled and Ellis emerged with 4-56 in 33 overs. The scoring rate was 50 an hour and numbers five, six and seven had all exceeded 50 - probably a unique achievement.

With 70 minutes to bat Samuel was LBW to Corlett's first ball. Morgan hit Corlett to Reith at forward short leg. He knocked the ball up but slipped in going after it. After 19 overs bad light stopped play with 9 minutes left. Wales were 33-1, Morgan 23, Harries 7. The next day started bright. Wales lost Morgan, bowled by Elder, to the second ball of the day. From then on they defended as best they could for 88.3 overs and an eventual final score of 164. Harries and Ellis added 25 in 45 minutes. Then Halliday got Ellis in his first over on a bat/pad catch at forward short leg - the first of four successive catches close to the wicket by Short. Bell had a charmed life with Halliday the sufferer. When 9 Monteith dropped a difficult skier at mid-on. Next over Reith dropped a running catch on the deep square leg boundary. Harries left with the total on 85, a Halliday/Short victim at forward short leg. His 27 had occupied 152 minutes At 90 Bell gave Short an easy catch in the same position.

Lunch came with the score on 108-5 in 56 overs, Edwards 23, Lloyd 0. Anderson had bowled one over before lunch. In his next Edwards hit a catch to Short at silly point. He dropped it but it hit his boot and he caught the rebound! 108-6. Lloyd and Lewis now added 34 - the highest stand of the innings in 30 minutes When 16 Lewis hoisted the unfortunate Halliday to short square leg where Corlett awaited it. Bushe called for it and dropped it. Next over he was caught off a low drive to extra cover off Monteith. As 149 O'Brien caught Nagle off bat and pad at silly mid off. 149-8. Jones came in to bat virtually one handed. Corlett came on for Monteith and saw Harrison drop a simple catch at short midwicket off a full toss. Two overs later rain stopped play for 16 minutes The innings defeat was saved when the total reached 161. The new ball was taken immediately it was available after 85 overs. Corlett had Jones LBW at 164 and bowled Owen in his next over. Halliday had bowled 27 successive overs, and 30 in all, for his 4-46 and 3 dropped catches. With only four required to win Short hit the first ball from Ellis to long off. It plugged and he only got two. A boundary off the next ball settled the matter. It was just as well. Rain had prevented a start for 9 minutes and it set in again as soon as the match ended with 130 minutes remaining. Both teams were entertained to a meal on Sunday night and the officials to a dinner on Monday.