This was the first match in a triangular tournament involving Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand (who had just completed their English tour). All matches were played at Mannofield, the home of Aberdeenshire CCC. A number of records were created in this match, all to Ireland's detriment.

1. Sent in, New Zealand scored 402-2 in 50 overs, the highest score against Ireland in a limited overs match. To find a higher score against Ireland in any match one must go back to 1986 when Zimbabwe's President's XI scored 517-9 declared in Harare in a three-day match.

2. New Zealand's 290 run win was only bettered by Sussex who beat Ireland by 306 runs in a 60 overs match in 1996 at Ormeau.

3. The 274 run first wicket stand is a new record against Ireland for any wicket in any type of match.

4. Never before did two batsmen exceed 150 in the same innings against Ireland.

5. Finally the margin of 290 runs was the highest ever in any One Day International.

The day was chilly and overcast when Ireland sent New Zealand in. 13 Irish players had assembled. Morgan, Porterfield and Niall O'Brien were not released by their counties, or chose to play for them, while Kevin O'Brien had been injured playing in a trial match for Middlesex second XI. Also Alex Cusack had broken his finger playing against Bangladesh "A" 2 days previously. Johnston was not available. From the team which had played Bangladesh "A" at Bangor, in addition to Cusack, Fourie also dropped out. Into the side came Kidd and Ryan Haire. Haire had got his five previous caps as far back as 2000. Since the last of these five caps Ireland had played 128 matches. 5 of the Irish team were making their ODI debut - Connell; Eaglestone; Haire; Poynter and Stirling. All of the New Zealand team had played against England in the 2008 test series or in the four ODI matches.

The pitch was dry and hard when Marshall and McCallum began to the bowling of the quite brisk Connell and much slower Eaglestone. Marshall hit fours in the first and third overs as did McCullum in the third and fourth. McCullum took 12 from over seven, bowled by Connell, to bring up 40. Two sixes to long-on by McCullum off Eaglestone in over eight brought up 50. In his 13th match Strydom replaced Eaglestone for over 10 and got his first International bowl. McCullum hit his last ball of his first over for four to extra cover. Botha replaced Connell.

McCullum hit Strydom for six to square leg and went to exactly 50 in over 13 in 41 balls. This innings so far contained three sixes and five fours. McCullum continued to score freely. 104 was up at the end of over 19 and McCullum was now on 64. McCallan and Kidd came on with the latter bowling very quickly with no attempt at all the usual slow left armer's flight. The score after 25 overs was 129 with Marshall on 48. In over 27 McCullum hit successive sixes off McCallan to long-on. Marshall reached 50 in over 28. This had come off 72 balls with four fours. 150 also went up in over 28. The score after 30 overs was 163. So, with no wickets down, a score of at least 350 could be anticipated. Unfortunately, it had far exceeded this!

McCallan and Kidd bowled seven overs each for a total of 80 runs. In McCallan's last over, the 33rd, McCullum, with a single, went to 100, when the score was on 175. His hundred came off 107 balls and contained five sixes and seven fours. He celebrated with his sixth six off McCallan over long-off. Although now he had six sixes, he had not hit a four since over 15. In the next six overs the bowling changed a lot. 200 came up in over 36 when McCullum hit Strydom for 6-4-6 off successive balls, all "pick-up" shots to mid-wicket.

McCallan returned for over 39 and McCullum hit his first two balls for six to long-on. In the next over McCullum reached 150 in only 127 balls, now with 10 sixes and 10 fours. Also 250 came up in this 40th over. After one over by McCallan Eaglestone replaced him. In his second over back, the 43rd, Ireland actually took a wicket! McCullum was brilliantly caught at wide deep midwicket by Haire running left to right and catching the ball over his head two-handed. 274-1-166. His innings came off 136 balls with 10 sixes and 12 fours. It was a wonderful innings which lasted only 158 minutes.

At McCullum's dismissal there were 7.4 overs left, 46 balls. Off those 46 balls New Zealand astonishingly scored 128 runs! Another wicket did fall but not until Marshall and Taylor had put on 114 runs in one ball less than seven overs. In over 43, and just after McCullum was out, Marshall reached his hundred in 120 balls with six fours After 44 overs the score was 291. Both batsmen attacked the 45th over, bowled by Eaglestone. Taylor hit a six to long-on off the first ball. Both scored fours, 300 came up and the over cost 18.

Connell came back for over 46 which turned out to be ultra expensive, 27 runs in fact coming from it. Marshall began over 46 with a six to square leg, his first six, a second to wide long-on, and then a four and, off the fourth ball, another six to long-on. Botha bowled over 47. Taylor hit the first ball for six to long-on. Then Marshall hit a six to long-off and four to the same area to bring him to 151 and the score to 356. He got to 150 in 134 balls, 4 sixes and 10 fours. Connell's next over, the 48th, was faced only by Taylor. He scored 20 off it, including a six to square leg. Taylor was now 48 from only 17 balls! In over 49, bowled by Botha, only 11 runs were scored.

Strydom returned for over 50. It was perhaps an unexpected choice but one that worked. The first ball was a wide. Marshall went down the pitch to the second ball but could only lob it behind him to Wilson. 388-2-161 and Strydom's first international wicket. Marshall faced only 140 balls with 4 sixes and 11 fours and batted for 191 minutes. It was another very brilliant innings to match that of McCullum. In came Flynn but it was Taylor who hit a four and a six to mid-wicket. Four byes then brought the score to 402 and, again extraordinarily, the last two balls of the innings were dot balls. Taylor emerged with 59 not out from only 19 balls. He had been much quicker to 50 than either McCullum or Marshall.