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Ireland International Matches
Ireland drew with Leicestershire
2 Day, Ormeau, 23-25 July 1960
Scorecard
Derek Scott

No play being possible on the first day this match developed into a one-day affair with only first innings lead to be fought over. This Leicester achieved but there was a certain amount of excitement towards the end. Originally Ireland only made one change from the Scotland match, WR Hunter replacing Stevenson who was not available. However, Caprani and Neville cried off and were replaced by Ian Lewis and Aubrey Findlay. Then Finlay cried off and Ciaran O'Maille, who had not played since 1954, came on and in effect opened with McCloy. Leicester fielded their full County XI with the exception of HD Bird and J Van Geloven.

A wet ball and a blustering wind did not help the bowlers and the wicket was quite docile. For 45 minutes McCloy and O'Maille kept out Spencer and Boshier and it was the off spinner Savage who had O'Maille LBW at 19. Martin and McCloy took the score to 52 when Cromack, a slow left armer, caught and bowled McCloy. Warke and Martin were doing well until Warke was out 10 minutes before lunch, being bowled when playing a rash shot at Boshier. 85-3-19. The lunch score was 87-3. After lunch Spencer took five wickets in seven overs and from 85-2 the score became 107-8 - the pace proving too much for the middle order batsman, the highest scorer being Martin with 25. O'Riordan and Huey added 12 for the ninth wicket and when Pratt bowled Huey, the latter for some unaccountable reason declared. Spencer, who had a 5-9 spell, finished with 5-22 in 13 overs.

At 3:15 PM Hallam and Watson began for Leicester and Hallam missed O'Riordan's second ball and was bowled. Gardiner came in and when Watson was 6 McCloy dropped him at short square leg off O'Riordan. This repeated the 1959 episode when Watson was also dropped off O'Riordan and went on to make a century. At 3:45 PM there was a 45 minute break for rain but before this it did seem that six overs were too many for Warke with the new ball.

On resuming Hunter bowled three overs for 13 runs before spinners Huey and Hope came on. In his second over Huey had Gardiner caught but by that time the score was 53. P Munden helped Watson take the score to 84 before being stumped off Hope. Cormack came in and soon 100 and Watson's 50 came up. At 106, after making 56 in 110 minutes, Watson was caught at long on by Martin off Huey and it seemed that he had thrown his wicket away. He had accumulated runs steadily and gracefully. With Cross in Huey went off in favour of Duffy but it was Hope who disposed of Cross at 6 PM, the score being 118-5. One run later, with the scores tied, Duffy had Pratt caught and Hope had Julian caught at short leg for 0. Spencer came in and hit a 2 of his first ball to give Leicester the lead. At 126-7, Cromack 18 not out, rain ended the match. Hope's 3-29 in 17 overs represented good bowling.