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Ireland International Matches
Canada drew with Ireland
3 Day, Toronto, 14-16 September 1973
Scorecard
Derek Scott
The Ireland touring team and officials

With two hours remaining on the second day Ireland led by 216 runs on first innings. The follow-on was not enforced and the Canadians easily drew the match. The historical highlight of the match was Ivan Anderson's innings of 198 not out. It was the highest score ever made for Ireland beating Sir T.C.O'Brien's 167 against Oxford University at Oxford in 1902. Anderson batted for 281 minutes, gave no chance and hit 25 fours. Ireland's team was selected on the morning of the match. Harte and Halliday were left out. Dineen and Torrens (pulled groin muscle) were injured, the latter of whom would certainly have been selected. The Canadian team was selected from Eastern Canada and contained players from West Indies, Pakistan, Ceylon and two native Canadians in Gould and Iggulden.

The first day was sunny with a little breeze. The matting on grass was true and not too fast. The Canadians won the toss and put Ireland in. Braithwaite and Hinds bowled well in the first hour and were very unlucky. Only 15 runs were scored. O'Brien was out in the fourth over caught at leg slip off a careless glance. 4-1-4. Harrison came in and had a charmed life. Off Braithwaite he was missed by the wicket-keeper who spoiled first slips chance of taking an easy catch and was also dropped by Hines at short square leg. Off Hines he was caught at leg slip and was walking when given "not out"! All this happened while going from 0 to 2. Hinrichsen was tried as was De Souza, a bent finger spinner. At drinks, after 90 minutes, the score was 45. Immediately afterwards Pigot was bowled middle stump by Carter pushing out at the ball. 45-2-15. Anderson snicked his first ball for four over the wicket-keeper's shoulder - one of his very few false strokes. Kuru, an offspinner, was given three overs. After two hours, 35 overs, the score was 67-2, and at lunch (135 minutes) 81-2, Harrison 35, Anderson 22.

During the match at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club

After lunch Harrison had another life off Braithwaite. The wicket-keeper running back failed to hold a skier. There was then a break while a TV camera came on the field for pictures! At 100 Harrison tried a short single to Carter at mid-on and was run out when the throw hit the stumps. His valuable, but lucky, 40 had occupied 158 minutes. O'Riordan was dropped at leg slip when six glancing the unfortunate Braithwaite. At 129 O'Riordan (14) was caught by Braithwaite at leg slip while glancing Carter. Anderson now stepped up the pace and the field began to retreat. He reached 53 out of 133 in 94 minutes. The stand with Lewis put on 33 in 30 minutes. Of these Anderson made 24. Carter and Braithwaite bowled for 80 minutes after lunch. At 162 Lewis lunged at Carter and was caught behind. Nine runs later Linehan misdrove De Souza to extra cover. 171-6, Anderson 83.

Ivan Anderson takes a tumble
With Duffy, Clark gave himself a couple of overs - the eighth bowler to be used. At tea, after 272 minutes, the score was 202-6, Anderson 96, Duffy 10. After tea Hinrichsen shared a new ball with Braithwaite and Anderson went to his century with a snick off Braithwaite past the vacant third slip position. He was 103 out of 209 in 176 minutes, the second 50 coming in 82 minutes. His stand of 45 with Duffy ended when Duffy was caught behind off Hinrichsen for 12. Now Colhoun came in to keep an end up for Anderson. The pace increased. 50 were put on in 37 minutes after tea, Anderson making 40 of those. At 271 Anderson reached 150, his third 50 coming in only 47 minutes. He and Colhoun added 79 in 70 minutes. Colhoun made 16 of these. At 295 he hit Gould onto his boot and was caught at mid-off. At 6:03 PM, with a ball for four, Anderson brought up 300 and surpassed Sir T.C.O'Brien's 167, a record score for Ireland. In 20 minutes Anderson and Goodwin added 39 for the ninth wicket. Then Goodwin overbalanced and was stumped for eight. At this point Anderson was 195. He refused singles with Elder and scored three more runs. He could not get the strike for the last over of the day bowled by Carter. Off the third ball Elder was LBW. The matting wicket suited Anderson. His footwork, speed, strokeplay, timing and running were all remarkable. He gave no chance whatever, in itself a remarkable performance. He came in at 45-2 and batted in all 281 minutes. Of the the last 166 runs, Anderson scored 123. The lucky Harrison, with 40, was next highest score. No one else made more than 16 in the score of 337. This was scored in the 6 1/2 hour day and Canada bowled 131 overs. Canada used eight bowlers. They were good at the start but wilted towards the end as did the fielding. Carter, with 4-89, was the best bowler.

The second day was clear and hot. Ireland's success continued and, by 4 PM, Canada were all out for 121. Goodwin bowled the first over. His second ball was short but the dangerous Nascimento dollied it into Elder's hands at square leg. O'Riordan bowled five overs and gave way to Elder. 23 came in an hour. At that point Iggulden lifted his foot fractionally and was stumped off Goodwin. 23-2-9. At 31 Hines was caught at the wicket cutting at one that lifted from Goodwin. At 39 two wickets fell. Carter was caught low at first slip by O'Riordan off Goodwin. Clarke, the opening bat, had been in 104 minutes 20 when he snicked Elder to Lewis at first slip. Goodwin came off after 115 minutes. He had bowled wonderfully well to take 4-13 in 16 overs. After two hours the score was 43-5. Duffy replaced Elder but it was the wrong end for him. Just before lunch Harrison dropped Hinrichsen off O'Riordan at leg slip. Hinrichsen was 4 and he went on to make 21. Just after lunch, at 50, Harrison dropped Gouveia low to his right at square leg off Duffy. Taylor came on for Duffy at 58 and, at once, Gouveia was caught left-handed by O'Riordan at short square leg. 58-6-9.

De Souza, at number eight, looked the best batsman. He and Hinrichsen added 20. Then Duffy came on at the Pavilion end and bowled Hinrichsen with his first ball. 78-7-21. De Souza and Braithwaite added 14 in 18 minutes. Then Braithwaite was caught at wide mid-on off Duffy for a good 12, including a six off Duffy. De Souza batted along quietly with Gould. He got behind the ball and played some nice shots. They added 27 in 31 minutes when De Souza was caught at slip off Duffy for 31. Kuru came last. He had broken a finger fielding. At 121 Gould played on to Goodwin. The latter emerged with 5-30 in 24.4 overs. Duffy, the ever reliable, took 3-36 in 16 overs. O'Riordan, in catching Carter, had taken his 50th catch for Ireland - a record.

At this point, 4 PM, tea was taken and the teams were presented to the youthful Jeremy Craig, the acting Irish Ambassador in Canada. The follow-on was not enforced. Elder was hurt and unable to bowl while O'Riordan and Goodwin were tired. But with two hours left to play Duffy and Anderson could have bowled a good deal. Even if Canada were 124 two at the close Ireland would still be very well-placed. Not alone did Ireland bat again but they did so without purpose. Pigot and O'Brien dawdled to 49 in 85 minutes. Then Pigot was caught at 30. A few minutes later the umpires, encouraged by the batsman, deemed the light unfit for play. The score was 53-1, O'Brien 15, Harrison 4. The lead was now 279 with six and half hours to go. That evening a banquet was held in the Toronto pavilion.

Next day, 53 more were added in 46 minutes and Ireland declared at 106-1. Canada had 334 minutes to scored 323 runs. Of this they had no chance but they did very well to draw. They lost only four wickets and the non-enforcement of the follow-on rebounded on the Irish. Gouveia opened with Hines and O'Riordan bowled the former on 8 with the total at 11. Elder tried to bowl but had to retire after two overs. By lunch the score was 33-1 after 75 minutes. At 35 Hines hit a ball to Anderson's left at cover. Nascimento called a run but a quick throw ran him out. Then Hines and Iggulden had a long partnership adding 58 in 85 minutes. At 74 Duffy dropped Iggulden at square leg off Anderson. Then O'Riordan came on with slow bowling. Hines lost patience and lofted the ball to the mid-wicket boundary were O'Brien had been moved in the same over. 93-3-44. One run later Iggulden was stumped for the second time in the match off Goodwin. He chased a wide one after making a good 34. Carter and Hinrichsen were now together and in fact no further wicket fell. By tea the score was 124-4. In the afternoon session Duffy again did not bowl from his favoured end.

After tea 55 minutes and 20 overs remained. At 5:15 PM the new ball was due but was not taken. At 145 Harte, dropped Carter at slip off Anderson. 10 minutes later, in the fourth over of the last 20, Anderson missed a catch and bowled off Carter and, next ball, Colhoun dropped an easy catch at the wicket. He had, however, kept wicket very well. After eight overs of the 20 the match was given up. A dismal end but full marks to Canada.