This defeat was a bitter blow. This match had to be won to have much chance of getting to the last four but an Irish total of 283 (an Irish limited overs record) could not be defended. Full marks to U.A.E., who batted brilliantly and the Irish quick bowling was put to the sword. Four such Irish bowlers bowled 21.4 overs for 150 runs, a rate of seven runs per over when U.A.E. needed just under six per over to win. Dwyer and McCallan, the slow bowlers, bowled 20 overs for 95.

It was a sunny day at the Toronto club, and a good pitch, when Ireland won the toss and decided to bat. Eagleson and White came in for Curry and Davy.

An experiment was tried to use the 15 overs of restricted field placings and Andy Patterson, to hit, was sent in with Molins. It worked excellently. After eight overs of the faster bowlers, Nadeem and Saeed, the score was 38 and each batsman had hit two fours. Slow left armer Khan, and leg spinner Tauqir were tried to no avail. 50 was up in over 11. Over 12 saw nine runs scored. There were 10 in over 14 and nine more in over 15 including a six to Patterson. The score was now 86. The show ended in over 17. Molins hit Tauqir for a four but the last ball of the over was a slow full toss which Molins mishit to square leg. 96-1-37. Molins 37 had five fours and he faced 59 balls.

Ed Joyce was promoted and saw 100 up after 19 overs. The sixth bowler used, Aosaf Ali, bowled Patterson "through the gate" in over 20. 101-2-55. Patterson hit a six and six fours in 49 balls. He had reached his 50 with the six in over 15. Dom Joyce joined his brother and together the brothers added 145 in 25 overs. This was mostly done in singles and twos. Dom only hit one four in this stand and Ed hit three and a six. The score was 119 at the 25 over half way mark. In 30 overs the score was 149, in 35 it was 172. In over 38 Ed was missed twice, on stumping chances, having reached 50 in over 36. 200 came up in over 39. In over 43 Ed hit Saeed, the returning opening bowler, for a six over mid-wicket and was dropped at wide mid-on next ball.

Dom Joyce went to 50 in over 44, the first time two brothers had made fifties in the same innings since the Macdonalds in 1939. Then U.A.E. introduced a seventh bowler, Al Saffar, left arm, medium pace, for over 45. He took two wickets with successive balls! Ed Joyce pulled a ball to mid-wicket. The fielder knocked it up with his left hand and caught the rebound. 246-3-87. It was Ed's highest score and he faced 84 balls with a six and three fours. Heasley glided the next ball to the wicket-keener. U.A.E. were switching their bowlers rapidly and they only gave Al Saffar two overs.

Dom Joyce and McCallan added 20 in three overs and saw 250 up in over 46. The 48th over was Khan's last and in it Dom Joyce skied to deep mid-on. 266-5-62. This innings had only two fours and 84 balls exactly the same number of balls as brother Ed. Dom's 62 was also his highest Irish score. Off the last ball of the same over, and the first White faced, he pushed a catch to short cover. 271-6-0. 15 balls remained and 12 more runs were scored for the loss of McCallan in the last over. Mooney came in to face one ball and was dropped at deep mid-on.

Altogether a wonderful display particularly by the top four batsmen. At the end of the days play, Ed Joyce had most runs in the Tournament - 302 @ 75.40. He had also raised his Irish batting average to 30.28 for 1181 runs in his 43rd match and 44th innings. Khan (Slow Left Arm) was the best U.A.E, bowler with two for 44 in 10 overs. Tauqir's 10 overs of off breaks went for 64.

The good part of Ireland's day was over. U.A.E. won with 20 balls to spare. At no time was their rate below six per over. Their majestic start gave them 88 runs in 10 overs for the loss of two wickets and they never faltered in seeking the remaining 196 runs in 40 overs.

With a cut, snick and straight drive Malik hit Mooney's first over for 15 in all. McCoubrey's first saw Ali hit two fours and 11 runs in all. Two fours to square leg by Malik off Mooney saw 38 up in three overs and 57 was up in six overs.

Then Malik hit Heasley for a four and was lbw next ball. 61-1-35. Eagleson came on and bowled only two overs before a recurrence of his back injury took him out of the match. In his second over (10th) Tauqir was brilliantly caught in the gully by Molins. 79-2-9. There ended Ireland's success for a further 24 overs. In that time Ali and Pir Baks put on 115 runs. 100 came up in over 13. After 15 overs of fielding restrictions the score was 116 and Ali had reached 51 off 46 balls with eight fours, the last a splendid back foot shot. Dwyer and McCallan slowed the rate of scoring, overs 10 to 20 yielding 47 runs, compared to the first 10 overs 88. The 25 over score was 157, and after 30 overs 181, Now 103 were required in 20 overs.

McCallan came back for the 34th over and his first ball had Pir Baks caught off a skier to short mid-wicket. 194-3-43.

Saeed wasted no time. He hit the first two balls of Dwyer's last over for six and four to bring 200 up. Off the fifth ball Ali went to exactly 100 out of 210 in 110 balls - a wonderful match winning innings of great stroke play all from the middle of a sweet sounding bat. White was tried for the 37th over and Saeed was dropped by McCoubrey running in from long-on, In the next over Molins caught Ali at long-on off McCallan. 227-4-102. Ali faced 114 balls with 13 fours.

Newcomer Nadeen was caught by Dwyer at long-on in the next over, White's second. 230-5-2. 54 were now needed in just over 11 overs. Saeed hit White for a straight six but was out for 40 off 43 balls when he skied Mooney at 260 to give Molins his third catch at short mid-wicket. The left handed Khan dealt in fours to finish the match. He hit seven of them in his 35 not out off 23 balls.

It was a sorry day for the Irish but Arshad Ali deserved his Man-of the Match Award for his brilliant and chanceless 102. Only one player of 22 survived from the 1994 match -v- U.A.E. in Nairobi. He was Asim Saeed of U.A.E. who made 58 in that match.