IRELAND came within a tantalising whisker of pulling off what would have been a notable victory during the final bout of their three-day match against Scotland bat Linlithgow yesterday. Skipper Alan Lewis and his men could blame several factors for this near-miss - the drizzle which turned into rain late in the day, umpires Les Redford and Joe Breslin, and Scotland's captain George Salmond, who was voted the Man of the Match.
At the start of the obligatory final 20 overs from 5 pm, Ireland were on 193 for 4, needing 126 to win. With five of those overs to go, thanks to an undefeated seventh wicket stand of 92 by Ryan Eagleson and Garfield Harrison, only 18 runs were required for victory.
But the umpires decided that the conditions were unsafe to continue, saying later that they, in common with Scotland's fielders, were having difficulty in seeing the ball. They consulted Salmond before taking their decision to abandon the match - the same courtesy was not extended to Lewis - so what seemed a certain win for the Irish became, maddeningly, a draw.
Earlier, when play resumed on a bright but less sunny morning than the first two days, Ireland's bowlers were not able to maintain the momentum of Sunday. Scotland's night-watchman, wicketkeeper Alec Davies, made a useful partner for lain Philip, and the pair had put on `77' for the fourth wicket before Ryan Eagleson had Davies caught behind by Alan Rutherford for 14.
That brought Greig Williamson to the crease, and he and Philip piled on another 77 runs, until Williamson was superbly held by Angus Dunlop off the bowling of Greg Molins when just one short of his 50.
Philip raced to an impressive 110 to win back the initiative, aided by Mike Allingham's useful 36, after Williamson's departure, before Molins had him well held by Ryan Eagleson. Philip faced 146 balls, and reached the boundary 16 times. Molins, with three wickets, was Ireland's most successful bowler.
Salmond's declaration at 261 for seven left Ireland a target of 319, off a possible 70 overs. That aspiration was not helped with the departure, in rapid succession after lunch, of Kyle McCallan, Declan Moore and Angus Dunlop with the reply on 53 for three. And that became 86 for four when Andy Patterson was caught by Bryn Lockie off Graham Gardner in the 25th over.
Lewis kept his head and dug in sensibly. And when Peter Gillespie came to join him, they put on an invaluable 112 for the fifth wicket, before Lewis, having scored a defiant 71, was out in the first of the final 20 overs, leaving Ireland on 198 for five.
Gillespie, who looked adept at punishing the bad ball, went on to score his maiden international half-century and it was 209 for six, with 17 overs to go.
Enter Harrison to join Eagleson for that exciting stand, as they set about the Scottish bowling with a vengeance. Eagleson thumped five fours and one six while his partner smote four boundaries and a six. But it was all to no avail ultimately. Lewis, hardly surprisingly, said that he was "extremely disappointed."
