Coach Mike Hendrick was bemused to discover yesterday that the first of Ireland's two games on a short tour of southern England, starting today, has been scheduled as a "timed" match and will not be played under the limited-overs regulations.

In 1995, a row erupted between Hendrick and his employers, the Irish Cricket Union, when he changed the traditional format of the bi-annual fixture against The Duchess of Norfolk's XI at Arundel, without seeking their approval.

At the time, Hendrick said: "Timed cricket is an anachronism. Nobody plays it seriously, any more." The difference between limited-overs and timed cricket is that the former usually produces a result, while the latter allows an outplayed side to escape with a draw, if batting second.

Hendrick thought he had won the argument; but an ICU official has decreed that a timed match is to be played.

The second game of the tour is a two-day match against the MCC at Lord's starting tomorrow.