Off the first ball of the last over AT Crouch hoisted a catch to Lewis at deep mid-wicket with seven needed to win. It was held and Ireland had broken a run of 21 matches without a win going back to MCC at Lords in 1987. It was the closest win since MCC were defeated by two runs at College Park in 1954. After 25 matches as leader Jackson lost the captaincy to Warke, who had previously deputised for Jackson four times. Vincent and Patterson were dropped for Rea and C McCrum, the latter joining his brother in the team. Johnston and Spence were not available being replaced by Cohen and Thompson. Then the latter two cried off and in came Dunlop (another debutant) and O'Reilly. For MCC players who had appeared in the match previously were Mendis of Lancashire, Goldsmith, Merry, Needham (the captain) and Cass. JD Carr, son of DB, also played.

The pitch was not a good one, even on the first day, and both teams did well to get as many first innings runs as they did. Dunlop and Rea started well against Thursfield and Brugnoli. Scoring was slow. Then Crouch (slow left-arm) and the seamers of Merry were tried. Dunlop (19) gave Needham a sharp chance at slip off Merry at 48. 30 were up in 19 overs when Merry had Rea (17) LBW on one that cut back. Dunlop and Warke then settled down to the best stand of the innings. It was one of 128 runs in 145 minutes and only six short of the record second wicket partnership for Ireland in Ireland. Smith (left-arm over) and Needham (offspin) had a bowl but at lunch (taken after 44 overs) the score was 81-1, Dunlop 34, Warke 14.

50 had come in 26.2 overs and 100 was up in 50 overs. In that over Dunlop hit Brugnoli for 4-4-2-4 off successive balls to reach 50 in 155 minutes, the third debutant who achieved this feat in 1990. The next 50 took only 11.5 overs as Warke increased his pace. Then Merry bowled Dunlop who seemed to be trying to off glance. This 23-year-old had made 69 in 209 minutes with nice upright shots and 10 fours, some off the back foot. 158-2-69. With Lewis in, Warke went to 50 in 140 minutes. He and the always active Lewis added 37 in 44 minutes, the score rising to 195 and Warke making only 11 of the partnership. Needham was back and induced a faint edge from Lewis who hit 4 fours in his 26 - again showing his habit of getting out when set.

At tea, after 87 overs, Warke was 64, Harrison 5 in a score of 209-3. MCC's 87 overs in 4 ½ hours was very good. Toogood and Smith took the new ball after 88 overs and wickets began to fall. At 225 Harrison (13) lobbed Smith on the leg side. Scoring was slow and Merry returned to the attack. He got Warke out on a long hop at 241, Warke cutting the ball into point's hands. He had made 81 in a long vigil of 234 minutes with 7 fours. Smyth and C McCrum speeded up with 31 in 32 minutes as a declaration was now imminent. Smyth, 4 fours in his 22, was LBW hitting across Crouch. Jackson and O'Reilly mishit to mid-wicket. At 6:03 PM the declaration came with the score on 275-8 in 113.3 overs. Seven bowlers were used by MCC with Merry the best, 3-54 in 21 overs.

With 43 minutes play left Mendis and Carr opened for MCC. P McCrum took both of their wickets in four overs. Carr unluckily played on off his arm at 3 and Mendis shouldered arms to one that broke back with the total at 17. Harrison came on at 25 for the last over. His second ball to Needham was a wide, which Needham chased and failed to beat Jackson's dash back to the wicket when he missed! The score at close of play was 26-3, Goldsmith 11 Brugnoli 0.

The second day was a fits and starts day and was mostly sunny and much warmer. Goldsmith, a good player, and Brugnoli slowly put on 41 in 73 minutes. Then two wickets fell in one O'Reilly over. The second ball had Brugnoli LBW. 67-4-9. Two balls later Toogood tried for two runs to Nelson at long leg and failed by a distance. 68-5-1. From this point on Ireland's fortunes on the second day went downhill. Goldsmith and Smith put on 92 in 100 minutes for the sixth wicket. The score at lunch was 116 (Goldsmith 58, Smith 25) and they continued after lunch scoring 44 in the first 40 minutes. Then, at 160, three wickets fell. Harrison had just come on. Smith misdrove and Dunlop took a good catch diving forward at mid-off. 160-6-48. Next over P McCrum made the old adage "one go, they both go" come true when Goldsmith was caught behind for 76 in 213 minutes of sustained vigilance. Cass was caught at slip in Harrison's next over.

Now more tragedy for Ireland. Crouch was dropped at slip by Warke off Harrison before he scored and again, when 3, by Rea at short leg off C McCrum, who, surprisingly, had replaced his brother. Crouch and Thursfield now added 49 and a further 33 were put on for the last wicket. The Crouch-Thursfield stand was eventually broken by C McCrum. He bowled Crouch to give him his first wicket for Ireland. 209-9-24. Thursfield and Merry caused tea to be delayed by 12 minutes as they put on 33 in 36 minutes. P McCrum went for 12 in one over. The new ball was taken and Nelson had Thursfield caught behind for 32. The batsmen "walked" as it seemed the Umpire would not have given him out. The Irish lead was 32 when it looked as if it would be 100 at one stage. The lack of variety in the attack was shown up with only Harrison to bowl spin. Nelson was given only 15.4 overs in 88.4 and perhaps 15 were too many for C McCrum. O'Reilly bowled 14 no-balls in his 13 overs.

140 minutes remained when Dunlop and Rea faced Merry and Toogood. Two wickets were down for 9. The heroes of yesterday were bowled out without scoring. Dunlop tried to leave Toogood alone but did not get his bat handle far enough away and was caught behind. Merry accounted for Warke in the same manner as the first innings. He hit a long-hop to point. Rea and Lewis retrieved the situation. MCC tried no less than eight bowlers before the score was 50 which came in 29.3 overs. 55 were put on in 93 minutes of careful play. With five minutes left Crouch had Rea caught at short leg. Next ball P McCrum, nightwatchman, was caught at the wicket. Play ended with Crouch on a third morning hat-trick. The score at close was 64-4, a lead of 96, with Lewis 25. 38 overs had been bowled.

Rain in the night and morning held up play for 44 minutes. Then Ireland lost six wickets for 35 runs in 22 overs. Thursfield bowled 10 of these and had only three singles scored off him as he took five of the remaining six wickets. He emerged with figures of 5-15 in 15 overs. Four bowlers shared the other end, and all 10 wickets fell to catches. Crouch did not get his hat-trick but Harrison skied Thursfield to cover with the score on 72. The next over from Thursfield saw Lewis caught at short leg for 34 made in two hours. C McCrum was caught at short mid-wicket with the score on 86. Smyth was out at 98 for 11, the only one to reach double figures today. Jackson also left at 98 and Nelson at 99 - it was a sorry procession, the last wicket falling six minutes after lunch.

MCC now needed 132 to win in 129 minutes plus a minimum of 20 overs on a now crumbling pitch. 15 was up in 8 overs when Nelson had Carr LBW. Mendis was the danger and he lived dangerously, hitting at anything up to him and sometimes lobbing tantalisingly away from fielders. Goldsmith was still on 0 when the score reached 33, and Mendis was on 31. Then Nelson yorked Goldsmith. Three overs later, with the score on 36, Needham was LBW to P McCrum. 36-3-1. Mendis had McCrum for 10 in his next over to bring up 50 in 17 overs. Harrison now replaced McCrum. Mendis rushed at his third ball, missed and was bowled. His 49 out of 55 came in 71 minutes with 6 fours. At tea, taken after 25 overs, the score was 74-4, Toogood 12, Smith 8. This interval was extended by 13 minutes due to rain.

17 minutes remained before the final hour. O'Reilly took up the attack with McCrum. At 84 Smith was caught at mid-wicket off O'Reilly and Thursfield was caught behind off P McCrum with the total on 86. Thursfield it was who had "walked" in the first innings. In this one he gave a prolonged indication of injustice! After this over O'Reilly began the last 20 overs. After one ball more rain caused the loss of eight overs. So, 46 in 20 overs had become 46 in 12. MCC tried hard. Toogood and Cass put on 24 bringing the score to 110. Then three wickets fell for two runs in the 15th, 16th and 17th overs of the last 20. Cass was caught at mid-off off the bowling of O'Reilly. Brugnoli was bowled charging at Harrison and Toogood was bowled by O'Reilly for 30 scored in 101 minutes. In the mid-1980s Toogood had scored a century and taken eight wickets for Oxford in the Varsity match.

Merry now joined Crouch with 23 balls to go and 20 runs remaining to be made. 2 came in the remainder of O'Reilly's over and 5 in Harrison's next. Now the target was 13 in 2 overs. Merry hit O'Reilly for 4 and 6 came off the over. The last over had now arrived and 7 were needed as Crouch faced Harris. He pulled at the first ball and Lewis caught him without moving at deep mid-wicket. The 21 match barren spell was over. A few minutes later heavy rain would have prevented any further play.