Ireland allowed MCC an extra half hour to win this game after MCC had failed to reach 85 to win in 45 minutes. The game ended at 7.20. Four years had gone by since Ireland had last played an International match and now they met defeat at Lords for the first time, on this their 6th visit to Lords. MCC played 3 professionals, Attewell and Sherwin of Notts and West of Middlesex. Attewell kept a perfect length and varied his pace and spin. In this game he took 11 for 124. He played for Notts from 1881 to 1900 helping them to win the Championship 4 years in succession, 1883-1886. He toured Australia 3 times and played in 10 Tests. Mordecai Sherwin was a big burly wicket-keeper who succeeded Biddulph as the Notts wicket-keeper in 1880, aged 29. He went to Australia in 1886-87 with Shrewsbury and captained Notts for two seasons afterwards. He played for England in England once - at Lords in 1888. West (JE) was a medium paced left handed bowler and hard hitting batsman. C Booth was the only notable amateur in the team. Then 41 years of age he had played for Cambridge v Oxford in 1862-65, being captain in 1864. He was a batsman. JS Russel, who had played for MCC in the 1879 match, appeared again. He had played a game for Ireland in Dublin in 1869.

Of the 5 Irish debutants, Hynes played until 1896 and was one of the "big" names of the period. He twice toured America with Irish teams - 1888 and 1892. Maxwell was a steady bat whose greatest moment was the 2nd innings of this game.

The Irishmen had a "warm-up" game at Brynnewadd C.C. at Llandudno in Wales. This was won by an innings (174 to 88 and 32). H Hamilton, who was not available for the whole tour, took 4 wickets in 4 balls, and 7 wickets in 8 balls in Brynnewadd's 2nd innings of 32! It should be noted that Shelton, the Phoenix professional, was with the team but did not play at Lords, Ireland preferring to field an all Amateur XI.

In fine weather and on a perfect wicket Ireland scored 173 on the first day to which MCC replied with 211 for 6 after being 134 for 6 at one stage. The crowd was not large due to a mis-print in the London papers regarding the match. JP Maxwell and AJ Fleming opened for Ireland to Attewell and West. Both were cautious and both might have been run out. In 35 minutes the score was 19 and then Maxwell was bowled off his body by Attewell for 9. Hynes came in and play brightened up. At 37 Bovill replaced West. Hynes was missed at square leg but next ball Fleming was bowled by Attewell for a painfully cautious but loudly cheered 21. 38-2. Nunn was next and Bovill, after bowling 4 overs for 13, gave way to West. The latter and Attewell then bowled unchanged to the end of the innings - showing the paucity of the MCC bowling. In his 1st over after returning West caught and bowled Hynes off a mis-hit. 62-3-19. W Hone Jun. arrived next but at 64 Attewell bowled Nunn for 8. Hone and Adair put on 21 quickly before Adair was lbw to West. 85-5-8. Lunch was taken at 105-5 with W and L Hone in. At 113 L.Hone was late on his stroke and West bowled him. 113-6-14. N Hone was next and a merry partnership of 29 ensued, both hitting out strongly, particularly W.Hone. At 142 N Hone played on to Attewell. 142-7-10. W Hone continued to hit and completed his 50. Then at 158 one got straight up from West and he was caught at slip by Baines. His 61 included eight 4's and three 3's. He was lucky in the early part of his innings but his brilliant hitting later on compensated for this. W Johnston, who was being careful, was joined by F.Fitzgerald, but the former was soon bowled for 2. H Hamilton, at no. 11, hit two 4's and a 3 before Fitzgerald was caught at the wicket to end the innings. Attewell's 6 for 70 in 58.1 overs represented very steady bowling.

C Booth and MJ Baines began for MCC to the bowling of Nunn and Hamilton. Booth played particularly well and runs came quickly. At 36 Nunn bowled Baines for 19. T Montague was next and soon Fitzgerald replaced Hamilton. Runs still came quickly but at 63 Nunn bowled Booth for a neat 37. At 68 Nunn also bowled Bovill for 4. Attewell joined Montague and the score rose to 92 at which point Montague was caught at short leg by Johnston off Nunn. Nunn had bowled well to take the first 4 wickets and he added a 5th at 105 when JS Russel, from whom much was expected, was bowled for 3. Hynes came on to give Nunn a rest and had Attewell caught at the wicket for 40. Attewell had played a fine forcing game. At 134 for 6 the game was in the balance but very soon FW Maude, who made a fluky start, and West collared the bowling and hit it all over the ground. 77 were added before close of play when Maude was 63 not out and West 23 not out.

The 2nd day was again very warm but the attendance was still poor. Excellent batting was seen and 447 were scored for the loss of 20 wickets. Maxwell was given the ball for the 1st time and opened with Nunn. Maxwell's first ball saw Adair catch Maude at the wicket and 7 were down for 211. However the last three wickets quickly added a further 120. West made a fine hard hit 81 not out and got splendid support from A Carter (11), AG Courage (21) and M Sherwin (22). His 81 included five 4's. The innings ended at 1 25 pm and MCC had a lead of 158. Nunn took 7 for 115 in no less than 73 overs. In fact 5 Irish bowlers bowled 166 4-ball overs between them.

Courage (and not Attewell) opened the MCC bowling with West. Nunn went in first with Fleming - displacing Maxwell. Nunn hit two 4's and was caught at long off from Courage's bowling. With Hynes in lunch was taken at 20 for 1. Attewell took over from Courage but a run out looked the most likely way of breaking the partnership. At 40 it happened, Hynes being run out for 18. W Hone then joined Fleming and adopted the same pugnacious attitude as in the first innings. At 70 Baines and Maude came on to bowl. At 73 Maude bowled Fleming with a big break back which Fleming made no attempt to play. His 32 was a masterly innings. Maxwell came in at no. 5 and there was a splendid partnership between himself and W Hone Jun. The 100 came up at 3 50 pm. Hone hit a 6 out of the ground to leg and with both players scoring well the 150 went up despite many bowling changes. Hone reached his 2nd half century of the match - the first time this had been done for Ireland. The MCC lead was wiped out but 9 runs later, at 167, Hone was caught by Baines at cover off Attewell for an excellent 56. He had hit six 4's and the partnership added 94. Adair came in and saw Maxwell hit Attewell out of the ground twice in succession. At 198 Attewell bowled Adair for 7. L.Hone came in but, in the next over, bowled by West, Maxwell jumped out to drive, missed, and was lbw. He had made 69. 198-6-69. Both N Hone and H Hamilton were caught at the wicket off Attewell for 0 and the score was now 203-8. These were two good catches. With Fitzgerald in L Hone began to hit out but Attewell bowled the former at 215. 215-9-1. This was a big collapse after a score of 167 for 3 at one stage and 198 for 4 at another. Johnston was last and he and L Hone put on 27. Johnston made 12 including one hit over the Nursery. Bovill came on and his 4th ball accounted for Johnston leaving L Hone 25 not out. Attewell again bowled well conceding only 54 runs in 47 overs for 5 wickets.

At 6.15 p.m. Russel and Baines set out to get 85 to win before 7.00. Nunn and Hamilton bowled. Nunn was off form and after conceding 9 runs off 2 overs gave way to Fitzgerald. At 19 Baines was caught at long slip by Adair off Fitzgerald - AJ Fleming kept wicket in this innings. 19-1-14. Attewell came in and saw Russel bowled for 8 by a full pitch from Fitzgerald. Attewell made 21 before being caught by L.Hone at cover off Fitzgerald. The dangerous Maude was bowled by Nunn for 8 and next ball Nunn had Bovill lbw. Five wickets were now down and with Montague and West in 7 00 pm arrived. The extra half hour was then agreed upon - both sides perhaps thinking they had a chance to win. Fitzgerald had Montague caught at the wicket for 14 but West (10) and Carter (8) saw MCC through to victory.

On the day following the game JW Hynes, W Johnston and JH Nunn played for MCC v Esher. The three Hones and Fleming were also invited but were unable to play. Hynes made 114, Nunn 33 and Johnston 23.