CRICKET/Inter-Continental Cup - Ireland v Scotland: A defiant tail-end contribution and some tight late bowling has left Ireland in a strong position at the end of day one of the Inter-Continental Cup match against Scotland.

Needing a draw, Ireland were in trouble batting first at 76 for six but Peter Gillespie, Paul Mooney and Naseer Shoukat saved their blushes, ensuring 193 all out. In reply, Scotland stumbled to 133 for six.

There was plenty of discussion before play started about the pitch. Normally, the Castle Avenue track plays pretty well and is regarded as one of Leinster's better surfaces.

But this was different, with a green top that would get most seam bowlers seething.

Scottish skipper Craig Wright won the toss, inserting Ireland and trusting that his opening bowlers would make the most of the overcast conditions and grassy wicket.

They repaid his faith. Asim Butt, in particular, caused Ireland terrible trouble. Before Ireland had got off the mark, he trapped Jeremy Bray lbw and then had Andre Botha caught by Watson at slip with just 12 runs on the board.

With the ball darting around off the seam, it was a torrid time for Ireland's batsmen.

Jason Molins missed on a number of occasions but in his knock of 31, he hit 28 in boundaries before edging one to Watson off Wright's bowling.

Before that, Andrew White, scoring 47 and six in a trial for Northamptonshire this week, was out, caught by Watson at slip.

At that stage, Ireland were struggling at 71 for four and it got worse as Eoin Morgan was caught by wicket-keeper Simon Smith and then Trent Johnston edged another to slip for four.

This left Ireland at 76 for six. But Mooney and Gillespie knuckled down, pushing the score to 118 for six by lunch.

But in the first over after the interval, Gillespie was out for 44, caught at short-leg.

Number nine batsman Shoukat was unfazed. When he strode to the wicket, Ireland faced a first innings humiliation.

But hepicked off the bad balls and with Mooney, put on 69 for the eighth wicket, giving respectability to Ireland's total.

Scotland's bowlers had, for the most part, put the ball in the right areas.

But Ireland defended well with Shoukat, Botha and Johnston looking particularly impressive and leaving the game nicely poised.

Play at Castle Avenue today gets under way at 11 a.m.

IRELAND FIRST INNINGS

J Molins c Watson b Wright 31

J Bray lbw Butt 0

A Botha c Watson b Butt 4

A White c Watson b Wright 11

P Gillespie c Watts b Maiden 44

E Morgan c Smith b Wright 0

T Johnston c Wright b Nel 4

P Mooney lbw Butt 32

N Shoukat b Watson 48

S Ogilby c Smith b Butt 0

G Thompson not out 1

Extras (5w, 13lb) 18

TOTAL (all out, 59.5 overs) ... 193

Fall of wickets: 0, 12, 39, 71, 71, 76, 118, 187, 189.

Bowling: Hoffmann 14-3-40-0, Butt 15-4-25-4, Wright 12-1-49-3, Nel 10-3-39-1, Maiden 5-1-18-1, Watson 3.5-0-9-1

SCOTLAND FIRST INNINGS

B Patterson lbw Johnston 16

D Lockhart c Shoukat b Mooney 4

F Watts b Shoukat 31

R Watson not out 20

C English c Ogilby b Shoukat 20

C Wright b Thompson 16

G Maiden lbw Johnston 5

S Smith not out 6

Extras (5b, 9lb, 1w) 15

TOTAL (for 6, 45 overs) ... 133

Fall: 9, 41, 66, 100, 119, 126

To bat: P Hoffmann, A Butt, D Nel

Bowling: Mooney 5-0-18-1, Shoukat 12-2-42-2, Botha 15-6-33-0, Thompson 5-2-7-1, Johnston 9-3-19-2.