This was the start of the second round, Ireland having emerged from the first with two points (the win over Bermuda). Eight teams were in this round with Ireland's four matches to be against the teams emerging from the other top section - Scotland, United Arab Emirates, Holland and Canada. If two of these could be won there was some chance of being in the last four and possibly qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa in 2003.
The round began with the comprehensive defeat by Scotland. The last win -v- Scotland in a fully played out limited overs match was in 1993 in the first ever Triple Crown Tournament.
Malton is a small pretty circular ground in a bowl. The pitch was hard, dry and cracked with a small amount of dead grass but it played well, The weather was hot and sunny throughout. Curry was winning his 50th cap. Two changes from the Papua New Guinea match were Mooney and Molins for Eagleson and White.
The toss was won and Ireland batted. The high point of the innings and indeed of the match was a score of 86 for two in the 24th over with the Joyce brothers together. Only 88 more were scored in 26 overs and Scotland won easily in 42 overs. Curry was not asked to open after his success in this role -v- Papua. This led to a disagreement between him and the Coach, Ken Rutherford, to such an extent that Curry returned home after this match.
Davy opened with Molins to Brinkley, who has County experience, and the left armer, Butt. In the fifth over Molins cut to third man, foolishly called a second run, and was run out by an accurate throw. 9-1-6. Blain quickly replaced Brinkley and he it was who bowled Davy who played a loose shot in over 16. 40-2-15. Now came the Joyce brothers and the best stand of the innings - 46 in eight overs, Maiden (off spin) had four overs for 21 and Sheridan (slow left arm) gave up 13 in his first two overs. 50 came up in over 13. In this stand D.Joyce hit four fours and his brother hit three. All seemed to be going well and Scotland were forced to bring back Brinkley for the 24th over.
He did the job at once. D.Joyce tried to pull a ball that was too far up and without moving his right foot across. The ball lobbed back to the bowler. 86-3-36. Worse followed when Curry over stretched in the next over and was bowled by Sheridan. 87-4-1 E. Joyce and McCallan slowly tried to retrieve the situation there being only singles and twos for 11 overs. 100 came up in over 33. In Sheridan's ninth over he dropped a caught and bowled off McCallan who hit him for six next ball. Sheridan had his revenge in his next and last over. He caught McCallan over his head. 124-5-21.
Butt replaced Sheridan. Patterson cut at the second ball and was caught at the wicket. 126-6-2. With his brother Ed Joyce had faced 20 balls for 17 runs. Since Dom 's departure Ed faced a further 50 balls and scored 16 more runs, two twos and 12 singles. He then lost patience, advanced to Maiden, missed and was stumped. 129-7-33. Mooney joined Heasley with nine overs left. Maiden, Butt, Blain and Brinkley bowled these so that all of Scotland's five bowlers bowled 10 overs each. Heasley hit two fours and scored 18 of 29 added before being caught at long-off in over 48. 158-8-19. Dwyer came in and hit two fours in the last two overs. He reached 12 not out, his first double figures score for Ireland, in his 25th innings. 174 for eight would not be enough.
All Scotland's bowlers did well. All bowled 10 overs. Brinkley (26) and Butt (28)) went for less than 30. The other three conceded less than 40 each, and all took at least one wicket.
Lockhart faced the first ball from Mooney in Scotland's innings. He dropped it short on the off side, called a run and then sent Salmond back. The latter would not have regained his ground if McCallan's throw had hit the wicket. Mooney and McCoubrey bowled 11 very good overs between them, only 28 runs coming with some playing and missing and two fours to Salmond. In fact no wide was bowled in the 42 over innings. McCallan came on and in his second over (14th), had Salmond caught at slip by Curry. 39-1-21. The next stand, Lockhart and Smith, decided the match. They put on 114 in 26 overs despite many changes of bowling - Dwyer, Curry, Heasley. 50 was up in over 18 and it was 88 at the 25 over half-way mark. 100 was up in over 29. Smith seemed to give a difficult stumping chance off Curry at 103. Lockhart went on to 50 in over 33. Then Smith drove McCoubrey for two fours to long off and cut another to go to his 50 in over 36.
The 40th over was eventful. Smith was dropped low down by the bowler, Dwyer. Then Lockhart gave a swirling chance to Davy at long off which went for four. Next ball he skied to McCallan at mid-off. 153-2-64. Butt came and went in the next over. He skied to McCallan behind the wicket and Davy took the catch. 154-3-0. Parsons finished the match by hitting Dwyer for 13 in the 42nd over. Smith not out 68 in 74 balls was given the Man-of-the-Match Award.
McCallan emerged as the best bowler, two for 38, and the only bowler to bowl 10 overs. Mooney's seven overs went for only 16.
In 1997 in Kuala Lumpur Scotland beat Ireland in the play off for third place and entry to the 1999 World Cup. In that match, and in this one, Curry, Andy Patterson and Heasley played for Ireland while in both teams for Scotland were Lockhart, Salmond, Williamson and Sheridan.