Scorecard Match Photos

Allan Border off drives (Photo: Clarence Hiles)When a touring team is having a highly successful tour during which it is giving England a thrashing in the Test series, it usually spells bad news for their opponents in the minor matches of the tour. All the batsmen want to continue scoring runs and all the bowlers want to impress, either to ensure they see off the challenge of the other members of the tour party for test places or to continue making their claim for a place. This was well demonstrated by the visit of the 1993 Australians to Dublin when Ireland were utterly outplayed in a game that never remotely resembled a contest at any stage of the day.

However, the largest crowd to attend a match in Dublin for many years, over 3000, were treated to some magnificent exhibition cricket by the visitors from Down Under. Matthew Hayden, the Queenslander who was most unfortunate not to get a Test place on the tour, compiled a superb unbeaten 135; Michael Slater made a breezy half-century in typical style; Mark Waugh showed a brief glimpse of why he is one of the world's most gifted players. The highlight of the Aussies' 361 for three declared in just under 50 overs however came from Allan Border. A lightning century in just 41 balls saw him go from 50 to 100 in a mere 12 balls. In one absolutely dreadful over from Angus Dunlop he struck each of the first five balls for six and miscued the final one for a two. When Eddie Moore claimed his wicket Border declared the mayhem at a close-his partnership with Hayden having realised 153 in no time at all.

The Irish batsmen were left with a meaningless task-they were never going to get the runs and what defined respectability in these circumstances? Not surprisingly the innings degenerated into a shambles. Justin Benson, the Leicestershire player born in Dublin, soon fell to Wayne Holdsworth and he was followed by Warke and Rea, both victims also of Holdsworth. Paul Reiffel then chipped in with the wickets of Lewis and Curry to reduce Ireland to 41 for five. Wicketkeeper Tim Zoehrer handed over the gloves to Ian Healy, was given the ball by Border, and proceeded to demolish the lower Irish order with three of the remaining five wickets at a cost of just 23 runs. Two more part-time bowlers were also employed as Ireland were dismissed for 89 in their 42nd over.

It was a day of great entertainment for the crowd, a fine occasion for the sponsors AIB, an excellent gate for the ICU Treasurer to count up, but rather embarrassing for the Irish players as they found themselves way out of their depth.