The feature of this match was the extraordinary display by GA Hick of Zimbabwe. He will qualify for England in 1991 and is probably the best batsman in the world in 1990. He broke a finger and had been out for a month prior to this match. He was probably caught at the wicket second ball but given not out. He reached 50 in 67 minutes off 65 deliveries. 10 minutes and 11 balls later he was 101 - achieved off the last ball of the innings. He missed one ball in those 11, the second last. He reached exactly 50 with a six and a four in the third last over bowled by McCrum. The next two balls were both sixes, the last two of the over.

Ian Bothan comes out to bat for Worcestershire

Then Botham struck Nelson for 4-6-1 bringing Hick to face. He was now on 62. The last three balls went for 6-4-1. Hick was now 73 and facing the last over by McCrum. It went 6-6-6-4-dot-6 taking Hick to 101, 28 off the over by McCrum whose previous over cost 23. In between Nelson went for 22. So, 73 were scored in three overs! Hick hit 8 sixes and 10 fours, 88 in boundaries. Botham got 40 in 46 minutes off 27 balls and 139 were added in those 46 minutes.

Worcester brought all their stars except Radford (ill) and Iillingworth (broken thumb). Botham, now aged 34, was England's greatest ever all-rounder while Curtis and McEwan had also played Test Cricket. Unfortunately in this match nearly 3 hours were lost to rain after only seven balls had been bowled. The match came down to 35 overs. A further break an hour later reduced the match to 34 overs. JMA sponsored this match on a good pitch but, in view of the rain, before a small crowd (pounds 350). At Worcester's request there was no bowler limitation.

Ireland brought in 36-year-old Alan Johnston of Lurgan for his first cap. He, like Spence, does not play on Sundays. Nelson returned after injury with bowlers O'Reilly and Thompson dropping out. Nulty was dropped for Vincent and Rea was not available.

Curtis and Weston went off relatively quietly to McCrum and Johnston. Nelson just touched a lofted drive by Curtis in Johnston's second over at mid-off. At 29 Johnston got his first International wicket when Curtis (18) skied him to cover. Rhodes was next but there was no drama until Nelson's fourth over. The score was now 47. The first ball saw Rhodes (5) caught low and two-handed by Patterson at short mid-wicket as the batsmen advanced and chipped. D' Oliveira was out first ball, Jackson diving far to his right for a two-handed catch.

The two teams at Clontarf

Hick arrived and survived a unanimous appeal for another Jackson catch off his second ball. 50 came up in 16 overs. At 85, in Nelson's eighth over, Weston (35) was out to a legside catch by Jackson after the umpires had consulted. Then came Hick and Botham as described above. Lamba had six disastrous overs for 47 runs with 7 no-balls and 2 wides. Nelson had figures of 3-20 in nine overs but 3-67 in 13. 100 came up in 26.2 overs; 150 in 30.5; 200 in 33.1. 11 sixes and 19 fours were struck in the innings. The Hick onslaught was not slogging. It was mostly short arm pulls and drives of extraordinary power and length! At 87 he was bowled on a no ball shooter from Lamba when 19. It was not Ireland's lucky day!

Tea was taken between the innings and at 5:11 PM Cohen and Vincent set off to chase 225 in 204 deliveries! The innings was a procession there being only two stands of more than 6! Cohen and Warke put on 32 in 44 minutes for the third wicket and Lewis and Patterson 39 in 33 minutes for the seventh. Worcester used seven bowlers and all except Weston took at least one wicket. 9 fours were struck, Warke and Patterson getting 3 each. Eight of the wickets fell to catches. Harrison was bowled, first ball, around his legs by Lampitt. Lamba faced three balls, two of them wide, before being caught at slip. Warke (18) and Lewis (22) each batted 50 minutes. Men-of-the-Match awards went to Hick and Nelson. Truly the Irish batsmen in this type of match face an impossible situation.