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Ireland International Matches
MCC drew with Ireland
2 Day, Lord's, 16 August 1939
Scorecard
Derek Scott

The team here was unchanged from that which played against Sir Julien Cahn's XI. The selected team was the same as for that match and therefore the same cry offs and replacements arose.

The first day saw feeble Irish batting negativing Ireland's splendid bowling in the MCC first innings. Billingsley bowled with rare fire while James Macdonald and Ingram kept an impeccable length. On a fast true wicket MCC found runs far from easy to get against steady bowling. Only 11 runs were scored in 45 minutes and barracking was heard at Lord's! 26 was scored in an hour but at lunch the score was 94-2. MCC reached 106-2 thanks to a patient display by Lomas, the Oxford Blue. He made 62 in 2¼ hours before Billingsley changed the course of the innings by taking two wickets in an over. He bowled Lomas was a beautiful off-break and yorked Muncer. Raper was bowled by Ingram at 120. James Macdonald carried on the good work by taking the next four wickets while Billingsley finished off the job by coming back and bowling Nevinson with his first ball. The last eight wickets fell for 82 runs. Ingram, although taking only one wicket, bowled 22 overs for only 36 runs.

Ireland began their first innings in disastrous fashion against the swinging deliveries of Nevinson and Watkins. Pigot was lbw to Watkins at six. Four wickets fell when the couple went from 30 to 38. First Tom Macdonald was bowled by Nevinson for 16. Shearer survived an lbw appeal first ball but was caught second ball. In the next over from Watkins Ingram mis-hit a drive and was caught at mid-off. Pollock was caught at slip and five were out for 38. Reddy shaped well for a while but at 55 he was bowled off his pads and it was left to James Macdonald and Paddy Quinn to put the game around. Never neglecting a scoring opportunity they held out for the last hour and added 53 runs to the score. Macdonald was extremely patient and until well set he left most of the scoring to Quinn who was 34 not out at the end of play. Macdonald had scored 22 not out in 90 minutes.

A patient display in the second innings by Tom Macdonald saved Ireland from defeat. MCC claimed the extra half-hour but could not force a win, the match being left drawn with Ireland 100 behind with four wickets in hand. Quinn left soon after the start in the morning. He flicked at a rising ball from Nevinson and was caught at second slip. In fact the last four wickets all fell to Nevinson in 4.7 overs for 7 runs and Ireland were all out for 125. James Macdonald batted for almost 2 hours for his 34. Nevinson bowled very well and deserved his excellent figures of 6-46.

Going in again 63 runs ahead MCC were given a good send off by Swanton and Lomas who scored 58 runs in 47 minutes. After the stand was broken, however, the Irishman bowled and fielded so keenly that the MCC were never allowed to obtain runs as quickly as they desired. Macdonald and Ingram bolded defensively, Macdonald with only one fielder on the leg side. Even so the position demanded fast scoring in view of the need of an early declaration and the batsmen should have taken more risks. At lunch the MCC were 159 ahead with 4¾ hours remaining. Lomas gave another attractive display and scored his second 50 of the match but most of the others were pinned down to defence. For instance Wilkinson spent 20 minutes getting three while Watkins batted 75 minutes for 26 not out. At 134 Watkins was badly dropped at mid-off by McFarlane (substitute for Paddy Quinn). This was probably all to the good as far as Ireland was concerned. At 156 Lomas was caught at square leg for 87, scored in 150 minutes, and Raper was run out by Pollock six runs later. When Walford was caught at cover at 177 MCC declared leaving Ireland to 240 to get in 190 minutes.

When the score was 23 two Irish wickets fell. Pigot was lbw to Watkins, Shearer came in and was beaten by the first ball. Third ball he gave a catch to extra-cover and so this great batsmen had "bagged a pair". At tea the score was 30-2 with Tom Macdonald and Ingram on the defensive. After tea everything was going nicely when Ingram dragged a ball from Nevinson onto his wicket. 42-3-10. However Tom Macdonald could not be dislodged and a found a good partner in Pollock. Together they added 66 for the fourth wicket. 100 came up in 130 minutes but at 108 Pollock was out lbw. Watkins caused a period of alarm in the Irish ranks when he dismissed James Macdonald and Reddy in the same over. With 30 minutes to go six wickets were down for 125. Cuffe came in and kept a straight bat and after a further 20 minutes the game was given up. Tom Macdonald had scored 63 not out in just three hours of patient and relentless batting. It was a triumph of concentration.