This match was the first in the fourth playing of the Triple Crown Tournament which, in this year, was played in South Wales. For this first match Ireland made a return to Pontarddulais last visited in 1981 when the three-day match -v- Wales was won in the last over. Ireland sent all 11 who had played -v- Sussex in the Nat West Trophy and added Doak and Curry. Lewis and Graham were still on the injured list and Warke had announced his retirement. Of the 13 assembled Moore and Eagleson were left out of the panel for this first match. On the Welsh team only five players remained from the three-day match at Rathmines in early June - Sylvester, Bell, Jenkins, M Davies and AD Griffiths.

Under a cloudy sky Wales were sent in. The ball darted about for Patterson and McCrum. Newbold was out in the fourth over caught by the recalled Curry at short mid-wicket off McCrum. The next wicket added 70 but it took 21 overs. After the 15 overs of restricted field placements the score was only 38. In that 15th over Bell (22) was dropped by AD Patterson at long leg off Heasley. Then 11 came off a Heasley over, the 17th, in which 50 was posted. The four off spinners in the team were now all given spells and all, except Harrison, took wickets. At 70 Doak got one to bounce a bit at Bell (40) and a catch resulted to McCrum at deep gully. Another nine overs and 44 runs went by before a third wicket fell in over 37 at 117. A Jones (20) was bowled by McCallan when trying to nudge to third man.

At 127 Curry dropped a very hot chance at extra-cover from Langworth off McCallan. Six runs later Jenkins was caught at deep square leg off Doak. He had faced 128 balls for his 58 and 40 overs had now been bowled. The remaining 10 overs, eight bowled by Patterson and Heasley, yielded 66 runs and four more wickets. At 142 Sylvester was lbw attempting a reverse sweep and at 154 Langworth was caught at long-on in the first over of Patterson's return. M. Davies (33) scored most of the remaining runs. He lost his captain, Lloyd, at 166. Rutherford rolled the ball back on to the stumps when Lloyd attempted a run to the wicket-keeper. The eighth pair added 33 in the last three overs, Davies hitting a six off Heasley. He was run out, at 199, off the last ball of the innings.

Seven bowlers were used. Heasley, seven overs for 47, was expensive. Five of the others took wickets, Curry had two.

Curry's recall to use his hitting power in the first 15 overs under the new fielding format bore fruit at once. He struck Morgan for three successive fours and had 24 up in four overs. McCallan faced 41 balls, scored six and was out in the 10th over, bowled leg stump trying to glance. The score was 42 of which Curry had made 32.

Doak was promoted to number three but was out at 48 caught at the wicket off a ball that left him there being very little foot movement. Curry brought up 50 in over 13 with a four - his 7th. A six off Barr soon followed and an off driven three carried Curry to 52, out of 63, in 15 overs. Another six and two more fours, all majestic strokes, followed before spin was his downfall.

Slow left arm M Davies had Curry caught at long-on in over 21 for 69 out of 84. He faced 55 balls with two sixes and 10 fours. Benson joined Andrew Patterson and the fast scoring rate continued, 52 runs off 62 balls. Patterson hit three fours while Benson was settling down. The second of these brought up 100 in over 25. Then Benson scored 23 off three overs, including a six over long-on. Opening bowler Morgan returned and had Patterson caught at short mid-wicket mistiming a pull. 136-4-23. Dunlop joined Benson and 150 was up in over 37. Morgan's next over went for 20, 19 of them to Dunlop including a six and three fours. Now only 26 were required. However in the next over, at 184, Benson (44) was stumped, head up trying an off side shot.

Dunlop struck two more leg side sixes off Griffiths. Heasley blocked in order to give Dunlop a 50. A final boundary by Dunlop brought him to 52 and won the match in 41.1 overs. Curry won an inscribed cut glass bowl as Man-of-the-Match. Barr was the only Welsh bowler to complete 10 overs and took two for 32.

In the other match played today England made 222 for one to beat Scotland 218 for six.