ANY HOPES of an interesting final afternoon of the Ireland/Wales international at Rathmines were extinguished in the pre-lunch session as the home side opted for an over-cautious declaration, leaving Wales with a target of 281 in 50-odd overs. Once the visitors lost a couple of early wickets, they never looked that interested in playing ball and the afternoon meandered aimlessly towards a draw.
Acting Ireland captain Justin Benson would probably have declared earlier but for one slight inconvenience. Angus Dunlop, having fallen just one run short of a century on Sunday, was again racing along towards the three-figure mark and evidently tugging at his skipper's heart-strings in the process. In any case, judging by the manner in which Dunlop was clubbing Barry Davies over mid-wicket, it wouldn't be too long in coming.
Unfortunately, just as he was approaching the 90s, Dunlop saw Derek Heasley and then most of the strike depart as he took another four overs to get to 94. Shaping to cut, he failed to read Kristian Bell's googly and Benson's dilemma had been solved.
As in the first innings, this seemed an inappropriate conclusion to Dunlop's innings. He had scored at just under a run a ball, striking eight fours and five sixes with just the right blend of elegance and power.
As Wales began to bat Ireland had only twelve overs before lunch in which to winkle a couple out but things went according to script. Mark Patterson removed Andrew Harris in his second over before limping off with a bruised foot and Jamie Sylvester chipped Paul McCrum to mid-on to leave the Welsh reply at 39 for 2 at the interval.
The Welsh evidently decided just to bat on and see what happened. Stefan Jenkins again played attractively, using his feet to the spinners and not afraid to loft over the infield when necessary. Kristian Bell was infinitely more cautious, so much so that he received an ironic cheer from his team-mates when he lifted Garfield Harrison to the mid-wicket boundary.
He departed attempting to repeat the shot next ball and when Geraint Lewis was beaten by Kyle McCallan's arm ball in the next over (the 35th), there was just the possibility of a collapse. However, with the wicket playing well and Jenkins in situ, the game retained the appearance of a practice match. He too was out in the 90s, nicking Declan Moore to Alan Rutherford, having scored his second half-century of the game.
Benson took the opportunity to give Greg Molins an extended bowl but the lelt-armer looked a little uncomfortable adapting to an off-stump line and his length suffered somewhat. McCallan looked the more impressive debutant, taking another couple of wickets to add to his three in the first innings and batting purposefully at the top of the order.
The game will have been a reasonably beneficial exercise for the youngsters. Declan Moore batted well in the second innings and Derek Heasley looked capable of becoming a useful operator in the one-day game, with both bat and ball. There are more three-day matches in the meantime, with the team to meet the MCC being picked after next weekend's interprovincial in Cork.
