After a free week-end in Cardiff Ireland began the second away B. & H. match on Monday after the match -v- Somerset. Sophia Gardens was a new venue. It proved to be a wet one. After 20.5 overs in the morning play had to abandoned for the day. The ground became a lake and it was a miracle of groundmanship that play could begin on time on the second day.

Gillespie was fit again. He and Moore played to the exclusion of Eagleson and McCallan. The latter had to return to work after the Somerset match. Glamorgan had five Test players in Maynard, Morris, Watkin, Croft and Waqar Younis who was making his first appearance for Glamorgan.

The County won easily but Ireland batted better than -v- Somerset. Choosing to bat Ireland were 134 for three after 31 overs but subsided to 202 for nine. Rain loomed and Glamorgan were due to play in Leeds next day. They hastened and won in 31 overs.

Cooke was promoted from number 10 to open with Patterson after a shower had delayed the start by a few minutes. Watkin's third ball (second over) found Patterson down the wicket but not at the pitch of the ball. He skied to mid-on. Cooke scored seven singles in 16 balls before being lbw trying to turn Parkin (first change bowler) to leg. Waqar bowled five overs for 10 runs but was not at full pace. Cronje joined Lewis in the eighth over at 16 for two. They pushed the score along steadily despite a 56 minute rain break after 13 overs. The pair added 54 in just over 12 overs. Then Butcher, in his fourth over, got Lewis lbw. Lewis got square on trying to play to leg and the ball kept low. 70-3-20. Benson came in and hit a four then came the rain. Cronje, meanwhile, had reached 30 with five fours included.

Next morning the Cronje/Benson stand became the best of the innings, 64 runs. 11 overs. Both scored briskly. Cronje reached 50 in over 28. He hit Croft, England's current off spinner, for two successive sixes in Croft's fifth over. One went over mid-on, the next over square leg where Cottey, a small man, almost made a catch. Waqar had bowled three more overs for 18 runs. Watkin replaced him and caught and bowled Benson with the first ball of the 32nd over. He got a leading edge trying to turn to leg. His 23 came off 32 balls. 134-4-32. Dunlop came next. He it was who sustained the latter half of the innings after three wickets fell for two runs in the 160's.

First to go was Cronje in the 38th over. He had hit Croft for another six but then fell to Dale, a medium pacer and the sixth bowler tried. Trying to pull he hit a huge skier back to the bowler. 161-5-85. His 85 came in 94 balls with three sixes and six fours. Heasley was lbw to Croft, sweeping in the next over. Moore survived six balls before being bowled by Dale. Gillespie made four in 22 balls and became the fourth lbw victim of the innings after being dropped by the bowler, Watkin, off the previous ball.

While all this was going on Dunlop had very little strike, only seven balls out of 39 bowled. 19 were added with Molins. The latter provided Waqar with his only wicket when he skied to mid-on at 194. Dunlop, 31 in 37 balls, and McCrum saw 200 up and were undefeated at the end. Watkin bowled his 10 overs for 26 and three wickets, Dale two for 27 in nine overs. Croft conceded 50 in his 10 overs.

At 1.40 Glamorgan started. Croft was sent in for quick runs. He provided them. 43 in only 28 balls, with two sixes and five fours. Both his sixes came in Cronje's first over which cost 17 in all. Cooke's two overs cost 25 and 50 was up in the sixth over. Morris was overshadowed but he got his 24 in 26 balls before McCrum yorked him at 73 in his first over, the ninth of the innings. The Cronje -v- Croft duel ended in victory for the former. He got Croft out, caught at the wicket, in the next over with the score unchanged.

Dale and Maynard were now together. They added 91 in just under 15 overs. 100 was up in over 15 and 150 in over 20. Maynard hit McCrum for a six over long-off and Molins' second over cost 13. His third, the 24th of the innings, saw Dale out for 45 caught by Patterson. 164-3-45. The end was near. Maynard went to 50 off 49 balls. Benson had brought himself on as the seventh bowler. He got Maynard at 190, skied to long on.

Cottey and James settled the match in the next two overs. Only McCrum and Benson conceded less than five runs per over. Cronje received the Man-of-the-Match Award for his brilliant 85.