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Ireland International Matches
Ireland beat MCC by 64 runs
One Day, Waringstown, 21 June 2005
Scorecard
Derek Scott

Conor Armstrong ducks under a bouncer
On the day after the match at Bangor the teams met again at Waringstown. The match took a very similar course to that at Bangor. Ireland again won the toss and batted. The total was 335 for 6 (351 for 4 at Bangor) while MCC replied with 271 for 8 (257 for 8 at Bangor). The win was by 64 runs (94 at Bangor) and, once again, Ireland failed to bowl MCC out - taking 8 wickets in each match. Molins was fit again and replaced Hutchinson and took over the captaincy from McCallan. Leg spinner Thompson replaced Coetzee. MCC were unchanged. The day was warmer than at Bangor. Rain threatened several times but never came. The pitch was the usual very good hard dry one always found at Waringstown.

At 10.50 Molins went in with Armstrong, seeking 51 runs to become the 13th Irish batsman to reach 2,000 runs, Gillespie having reached that mark the previous day. JF Short and MP Rea both reached 2,000 runs in 70 innings. That was Molins' 71st innings. Langford-Smith and Clampole opened the bowling for MCC Molins got most of the early strike and hit two fours. The Armstrong did the same in Clampole's third over. Evans, who did not bowl in the first game, came on for Clampole and 50 came up in Evans' second over (the 10th) Armstrong hit two more fours (one a snick) in Langford-Smith's last over and he was replaced by Clampole changing ends. Armstrong hit two more fours off Clampole who, after two more overs, was replaced by Bourke. After over 19 the score was 101 (Molins 46, Armstrong 45). Molins, without addition, was out in Evans' next over (his seventh). Molins, as is his wont, was careless with a leg side shot. It went to short mid-wicket where Flanagan caught it overhead. 101-1-46. Molins faced 73 balls had hit five fours. He now stands on 1995 runs.

Andre Botha scored 85
Botha came in and started briskly. The 20 over score was 107. Sylvester replaced Evans (one for 43 in eight overs) and one wonders why Evans was not used at Bangor. In Sylvester's first over (the 24th) Armstrong went to his second successive half century in two days as opener. He got there in 56 balls when the score was 126. Armstrong did not have a high percentage of the strike when he was in. He added five more runs and was out in the 27th over. He got too far under a drive from Bourke and was caught at deep mid-off. 134-2-55. Armstrong faced 69 balls and hit eight fours. In came Joyce needing one run to be the 40th Irish batsman to score 1,000 runs for Ireland. Joyce was playing his 46th innings. He faced the last ball of this Bourke over, got a friendly full toss, which he hit up the hill at Waringstown for four.

The 30 over score was 153 so Ireland could reasonably expect another 300 plus score as there were only two wickets down. Sparrow then bowled two overs at one end. He was followed by two overs from Langford-Smith and then two more from Sparrow. Sylvester bowled eight overs at the other end (for 52 runs). His last (the 38th) saw Botha reach 50 with the score at 199 having faced 52 balls and hit two fours. Joyce faced the last two balls of this Sylvester over. He hit both for six, over long-on and mid-wicket. 20 runs came off this 38th over after which the score was 212. Evans returned to complete his 10 over stint and took a wicket in his 10th over. In the previous over (the 41st) from Sparrow Joyce hit a straight six and Botha hit one over mid-wicket. Joyce's six took him to 54 off 41 balls with two sixes and three fours. Like Armstrong he had hit fifties on successive days. In the next over (number 42) Joyce was out. He stepped back to Evans in order to cut and was caught at the wicket. 246-3-57. The third wicket stand with Botha added 112 in only 16 overs. Paul Mooney joined Botha (69) with 52 balls left.

Jeremy Bray and Adrian Birrell take cover as a Peter Gillespie six sails over the line
Fletcher, another bowler not used yesterday (and just as well!) bowled the 43rd over which cost 22 runs including a straight six by Botha. 250 was now up. The next seven overs were bowled by Bicknell (slow left arm) who also did not bowl yesterday and Clampole. The first ball Bicknell bowled was pulled to deep square leg by Botha. For the second time this season he was out for 85. 276-4-85. He faced only 73 balls and hit two sixes and four fours. Shoukat joined P.Mooney but the former was out for 10 in Bicknell's second over (the 47th). He stepped away to cut and was bowled. This was the first instance of a "clean bowled" over the two days. 293-5-10.

Gillespie joined Paul Mooney with 21 balls to go. Off 19 of them they collected 39 runs scoring off all but two balls. 300 was up in over 48 off which 14 runs came including a Gillespie six to mid-wicket off Clampole. A further 15 came in the 49th over (Bicknell) including another Gillespie mid-wicket six. Then with the fourth ball of the last over Clampole had P.Mooney caught at mid fine-leg off a shovel shot. His 27 came from 22 balls. McCallan took three runs off the last two balls. The final total was 335 for six, 16 short of yesterday's total but more than looked likely at 229 after 40 overs. In all there were seven sixes and 22 fours. MCC tried no less than eight bowlers. Only Evans bowled 10 overs for 53 and two wickets. The least expensive was Bourke's seven overs for 20. Bicknell's two wickets cost 27 runs in three overs. Over the two days the MCC bowling could only be described as indifferent. The fielding was again lethargic.

Naseer Shoukat
MCC innings started at 2.50 and had much the same chase as at Bangor - almost seven runs per over. Bicknell, the star batsman, opened with Evans to the bowling of P Mooney and Shoukat. The start was brisk (29 in five overs). Evans hit two fours and Bicknell one. The first wicket fell on the second ball of the eighth over. Bicknell cut Shoukat to point where John Mooney took a brilliant one handed catch low to his right. 42-1-17. Flanagan came in but was out in P Mooney's next over caught at the wicket flashing at a wide ball. 43-2-1. Clampole was next and in eight overs 38 were added. Botha replaced Shoukat for the 13th over and in his third over (the 18th) he bowled Clampole driving with head in the air. 81-3-14. It was Botha's 50th wicket for Ireland in his 32nd match at the fine average of 22.50. The left handed Fitzgerald joined Evans and a boundary overthrow got him off the mark with a five (a Gillespie throw to the bowler). McCallan came on for P.Mooney and Thompson for Botha for the 24th over. The 254 over score was 113, some 60 runs off the pace required.

Next over Evans was bowled sweeping at Thompson. He had reached his 50 in the 25th over and was out for 52 from 73 balls. He had five fours but 22 of his runs came in singles. 114-4-52. Sylvester came next but lost Fitzgerald in the 27th over. Sylvester played a ball to fairly short fine-leg. A risky run was called and Gillespie's throw to Wilson beat Fitzgerald's dive. 115-5-18. With Heasley in the innings took a turn for the better and partnerships of 20, 63, 23 and 53 (unbroken) ensued in the best 23 overs of the innings, the score moving from 115 for five to 271 for eight at the end. Heasley hit McCallan for a six over long-on and J Mooney came on at that end. The 30 over score was 131, now some 80 runs off the pace. Sylvester was Thompson's second victim in over 32. He skied high to J Mooney at extra-cover. 135-6-8.

Greg Thompson bowling
Fletcher joined Heasley and in the next four overs (33 to 36) 38 runs were added. Both batsmen hit sixes off Thompson (two for 37 in seven overs) and Heasley also hit J Mooney for six - a full toss to mid wicket. 150 was up in over 34. Shoukat returned for Thompson. Fletcher got another six off J Mooney but this one by virtue of four overthrows. Then Fletcher, having made 33 from 27 balls, was lbw to Shoukat in over 40. 195-7-33. Langford-Smith was next. 200 came up in over 41 in which Heasley hit his fourth six over wide long-off from the bowling of J Mooney. McCallan replaced J Mooney and his third ball bowled Heasley trying another big hit. His 48 came from 37 balls with four sixes and two fours.

This was the last wicket to fall. In the remaining seven overs 53 runs were scored. Langford-Smith finished with 40 from 38 balls. His innings consisted of three sixes (off Shoukat, McCallan and Botha) and 22 singles.

The Irish fielding was again excellent. Six bowlers were used. Two, Shoukat (two for 47) and McCallan (one for 51) bowled 10 overs each. Thompson, in his first limited overs international, also did well and only J Mooney conceded as many as seven runs per over.

This was the 95th match against MCC since the first in 1858. These matches have been played over three days (some first class and some not) two days and limited overs. Ireland lead by 26 wins to 25 with 44 drawn/abandoned.