In perfect weather and on a beautiful pitch Scotland were the better team. Yet, going into the last 20 overs, with Lewis in full flight, Ireland, needing 103, had a prospect of winning. In retrospect Ireland's losing of the toss give them the run chase. If positions were reversed Scotland's superior batting might have seen them home. 1159 runs were the most scored in this game and within five of the best ever runs scored in an Ireland match - in 1902 against Oxford University. Ireland conceded 603 of these runs and took only 10 wickets.

With Cohen injured Ireland recalled Rea. Jackson (injured) and Nelson (work) cried off to be replaced by Moore, making his debut, and C McCrum. Warke returned as captain. Scotland had five players new to this fixture - Everett, Richardson, Sheridan, Orr (wicket-keeper) and Thompson. Salmond was to have been there 12th man - he came in and scored 118 and 95!

Patterson and Philip opened to the McCrum brothers - the first brothers to open the bowling for Ireland. Charlie bowled too short but Paul was unlucky. There was some playing and missing and some very good shots. 50 was up in 12 overs with Patterson doing most of the scoring. Lewis was tried but a spinner, Hoey, did not get on until the score was 83 and Dunlop followed with the score at 89. 100 was up in the 24th over but Hoey had Patterson LBW sweeping at 111. Patterson hit 7 fours in his 55 scored in 100 minutes. The left-handed Everett started nervously but was still there at lunch (taken after 115 minutes). The 39 overs bowled had yielded 139 runs, and at lunch Philip was 63 and Everett 8. It was the third opening century partnership against Ireland by Patterson and Philip.

The afternoon session of 145 minutes continued to see runs coming freely - 122 off 44 overs but the rate has been pegged back to 3 an over. Only two more wickets fell. 150 was up in 41.4 overs. Philip seemed to be on his way to yet another century when, with the score at 161, he snicked P McCrum into his stumps. Philip got his 79 in 215 minutes with 12 fours. Salmond played carefully when he came in. Dunlop bowled far too long but eventually gave way to McBrine, the sixth bowler used with the score at 181. He stemmed the scoring but it was C McCrum who got Everett caught at the wicket with the score at 198. Russell joined Salmond for the biggest stand of the innings, 114 in 105 minutes straddling the tea interval. McBrine bowled 11 overs for 23 but 250 was up in 74.5 overs. Just before tea Salmond reached 50 in 126 minutes. The score at tea was 261-3, Salmond 51, Russell 20. In 27 overs after tea up to the declaration 129 runs were scored. Salmond only needed 51 minutes to go from 50 to 100.

At 312 Dunlop, after taking a lot of punishment, bowled Russell for 33. Orr came in, and saw Salmond to his century. A new ball was taken after 100 overs with the score on 347. C McCrum took the last two wickets to fall. At 378 Salmond drove to extra cover and Govan was caught at the wicket with the score at 389. Salmond hit 2 sixes and 17 fours, reached his century with a six, batted for 208 minutes and faced 207 balls. It was a very fine innings. At 6:20 PM Scotland declared at 390-6, too late in most opinions. C McCrum took 3-57 but P McCrum was unlucky to take only 1-80 in his 23 overs. McBrine's 17 overs cost only 41. Warke and Rea saw out 9 overs for 17 runs. Bee, Richardson and Thompson all bowled during this spell. On the second day Ireland were bowled out by mid-afternoon for 280 off 88.3 overs. Most of the stands produced some runs but only Rea and C McCrum got past 35. These two sustained the innings. Between them they took part in every stand except the last - and it added 0!

Warke was out quickly. He was caught at the wicket off Thompson for 13 with the score on 25 off a ball which left him a little. Rea was in fine form and Graham also played sensibly. 50 was up in 20.4 overs and 100 15 overs later. Then disaster struck in the half-hour before lunch. The offspinner, Govan, came on with the total at 92 and Rea hit him for 2 successive fours to bring up his 50 in 129 minutes. Then Govan took two wickets in his third over. Graham had given a chance to gully when 18 but had moved to 35 at which point he lost concentration and played a lazy push to silly mid-on.

Lewis hit a 4 and then propped forward to be taken at silly mid-off. 108-3. With 19 more added and just before lunch Dunlop also fell to silly mid-off off the bowling of Sheridan. Lunch came after 47 overs, the score being 127-4, Rea 57, Patterson 0. Patterson was not inhibited. He hit 5 fours in his 28. He then drove Govan to extra-cover where Russell knocked up a fierce drive over his head, turned around and caught it. 164-5 was precarious as the follow-on target was 241. C McCrum came in and hit the first ball he faced for 4. His stand with Rea yielded 51 in 46 minutes. Rea looked all over a century maker. He got to 89 in just over four hours. Thompson bowled him a wide long hop which he hit gently to cover with a tennis shot. It was his only mistake and he hit 12 fours, with fluent driving. 215-6.

McBrine helped C McCrum to save the follow-on-on but fell to Govan with the total on 247. He reached too far and was caught off bat and pad. Hoey saw another 20 up before he too was out close to the wicket. C McCrum had reached his 50 in only 79 minutes. He was next out at 280. He drove at Richardson and gave Russell his fourth catch, this one at second slip. He hit 12 fours in his 70 and was in for only 103 minutes, facing 85 deliveries. Govan took his sixth wicket (for 70 in 21.3 overs) when P McCrum was bowled. This ended the innings.

Tea was taken and 140 minutes remained. Philip and Patterson again set off a fast pace and had 50 up in 12.4 overs. Then Lewis came on and bowled a very good spell in tandem with McBrine. Lewis bowled 8 overs, 3 maidens and took 2-17. At 57 he bowled Philip (28) and at 62 had Patterson well taken by Warke at first slip. Everett and Salmond took the score to exactly 100. Hoey had by this stage replaced Lewis. In his third over Everett slashed a ball to Warke at slip. He held it after it had hit his face, causing his retirement to have a nasty lip wound stitched. The day ended after 39 overs, Salmond 25, Russell 1 with the score at 109-3 - a lead of 219. Next morning was carnage for the Irish bowlers. Five of them bowled 16 overs and 104 runs were added. P McCrum went for 29 in 5; C McCrum 22 in 4; McBrine 19 in 4; Lewis 22 in 2. Dunlop bowled the last over and had Salmond caught on the mid-wicket boundary for 95. The missed 6 would have given a second century, both completed with sixes. He reached 50 in 90 minutes and batted 125 minutes when he was out. Had he been out sooner Russell might have declared sooner. Salmond, at 170, gave Moore a chance at the wicket off Lewis. The Salmond Russell stand was 113 in 79 minutes. McBrine was again the least expensive bowler. In each innings he bowled 17 overs for 41 runs.

The Irish task was 324 in 223 minutes plus a minimum of 20 overs in the last hour. 88 overs in all were in fact bowled. In the hour before lunch 2 wickets were lost. In Thompson's second over Warke was caught at short leg. Rea was playing very well. He hit 5 fours in his 26. Then, with the total on 41, he played Richardson to mid-off for a quick run. Graham refused and both finished at one end. Lunch came after 16 overs at 49-2, Lewis 0, Graham 17. The middle session was 130 minutes. Ireland scored 121 runs, of which Lewis made 71, and lost 3 more wickets. Lewis opened with 4 fours and was in marvellous cover driving form. He lost Graham at 81, caught sweeping at Govan.

Then Dunlop and Lewis scored run for run in 77 run partnership which came in 76 minutes. Lewis hit 9 fours in his 50 in 114 minutes. He hit Russell for 3 fours in 4 balls. 150 was up in 48.4 overs. Then Russell struck twice. He had Dunlop LBW with the score at 158 and Patterson caught at slip at 168. At tea, taken after 57 overs, Lewis was 71 and C McCrum 2 with the score at 170-5. 154 was now needed in 35 minutes plus a minimum 20 overs. In the 7th over after tea 200 came up.

At 206 Lewis (88) gave a chance to the wicket-keeper Orr off Thompson. This was missed. His 100 came soon afterwards with 17 fours. He had not reached 50 in his previous 14 international innings. In 11 overs up to the final hour Lewis and McCrum made 51 so 103 were needed when Govan bowled the first of the last 20 overs, sharing with Bee. Lewis was 90 at this stage and McCrum 31. The first 4 overs yielded 16, Lewis getting to 100 in the fourth of these overs. In the next 4 there were only 10 runs.

So 77 were still needed but now only 12 overs were left. McCrum became impatient, rushed at Govan and was stumped for 39. The partnership had added 80. 7 runs came in the 10th of the final 20 overs but McBrine was out. He mishooked at Bee and Everett took a marvellous running diving catch at long-leg. The next 3 overs brought 17 runs but Hoey was out in the third of those, the 13th of the last 20. He drilled Govan to mid-on giving Russell his fifth catch of the match. No more runs were scored from the bat as P McCrum and Lewis held out without changing ends. Lewis ended at 122 not out scored in 249 minutes, off 238 deliveries and with 20 dazzling boundaries.