Even the enthusiast at times finds three-day cricket a frustrating version of the game and so it was yesterday as Scotland grafted long and hard to exactly equal Ireland's first innings at Ayr.

When Gary Neely removed Andy Tennant's middle stump to dismiss the hosts for 259, roughly 100 overs remain of this traditional fixture - in other words, a one-day game.

Not that the early exchanges were entirely irrelevant as Ireland enjoyed a record-breaking century from Angus Dunlop and discovered a useful reserve in Mark Gillespie.

The 30-year-old Strabane all-rounder followed his 34 runs by taking a wicket with his third ball in international cricket to dismiss Drew Parsons. Gillespie then produced a quicker ball to have Greig Williamson lbw in his next over. Left-armer Matt Dwyer found some purchase on a slow pitch to claim the best figures of 3-39, but Ireland lacked a cutting edge.

Ireland couldn't quite grasp a number of half-chances which might have earned them an advantage, notably when top scorer, James Brinkley, edged past Dunlop at slip early in his innings.

Dunlop could quickly be forgiven after his heroics with the bat on Saturday, when he became only the fourth Irishman to score 150 - and the first against Scotland.

The 33-year-old YMCA righthander apparently objects to being called a veteran despite his 117 caps but he certainly played like one in seeing off an early crisis at 17-2. A 20th four - he also swept a six - took Dunlop past his previous best of 148 for Ireland and after adding the single that put him in the company of Ivan Anderson, Dan Comyn and Timothy O'Brien, he nicked his 230th deliver to first slip.

Dunlop found himself back at the crease yesterday evening as Ireland once again lost two wickets cheaply. Four for two - what to do? as they say in India. This time Dunlop did not have the answer and was caught behind. It was left to Peter Shields and Gillespie to steer Ireland through the final half hour to 54-3.