The 341 total is the third-highest score conceded by Ireland in a 50-over game. The record is 359 for 7 scored by Essex in 1998 at Chelmsford. Kyle McCallan is the only Ireland player to have played in both games.
Runs are something of a devalued currency here in Taunton. There have been 14 centuries scored in two County championship games this season, including two doubles and a treble. Last week Derbyshire scored over 800.
The first ball bowled by Ireland's new overseas professional Nantie Hayward was a leg-stump yorker to Justin Langer, who survived a very good lbw shout. The next time the little Australian batsmen showed any hint of vulnerability was 140 deliveries later when he was bowled by Dave Langford-Smith for 132. It was his highest one-day score for his adopted county, compiled by stealth with neat, nimble strokes both sides of the wicket. From such a stable base, the other Somerset players were given licence to blast; an order they took to with relish. In the shadow of the Ian Botham Stand, Marcus Trescothick looked in the mood to repeat the hundred he scored the last time he faced Ireland, in England colours at Stormont last summer. Flashing cover drives and short-arm pulls lit up the first half-hour. It was a reminder of what England had been missing. He went caught behind off Langford-Smith by Gary Wilson, keeping wicket in place of Niall O'Brien, on duty for Northants
Australian Cameron White peppered the stand at the Old Pavilion end with three sixes and four fours, before being caught by his namesake, Andrew, on the deep-mid-wicket boundary. Langford-Smith and Hayward took three wickets each, but both came at a cost. Langford-Smith went for 91 runs in his 10 overs and Hayward conceded 60. Ian Blackwell is one of the hardest hitters of a ball in the county game, a fact to which Andre Botha can testify. Botha stuck out his right hand to a crunching straight drive off his own bowling and, having clipped his forefinger, the ball raced to the straight boundary. Botha dislocated a finger on his bowling hand and suffered damaged tendons, which could keep him out of action for a sizeable portion of the campaign. It also raises doubts as to his fitness from the final of the Intercontinental Cup against Canada, which starts on May 22 in Leicestershire. Ireland face an uphill task to remain competitive.
For a team to chase 341, an innings of substance is required from one of the top four. On this pitch, that means something well over 100. It didn't start well. William Porterfield went first ball, caught behind. Jeremy Bray played well for his 27, punishing the square boundary with some characteristically robust square cuts. He went tamely, bowled playing early to a good-length ball from the South African left armer, Willoughby. Peter Gillespie bustled along for 32, supported by Andrew White and Kevin O'Brien. Wickets fell too quickly for momentum to build. Gary Wilson's first 50 for Ireland came in 58 balls, including six sweetly timed boundaries. McCallen played tidily before being run out by a direct hit, and by the time Trent Johnston went lbw for three, the score was 102 for six.
The late tallies of Wilson and Langford-Smith rescued some respectability. One of the latter's four sixes went over the stand at mid-wicket and onto the roof of the old printing works. It was Somerset, however, who produced the last word.