Cricket: Even thunder and lightning could not prevent Ireland completing an easy victory over the Club Cricket Conference in the international at Waringstown yesterday.
Although play was halted after 31 overs of the visitors' innings, Ireland were awarded the match on a faster scoring rate.
Ireland's total of 296 for eight was their second highest one-day score - they scored 311 for five against Wales in the 1994 Triple Crown - and when bad light light stopped play, the Club Cricket Conference were struggling at 129 for seven.
Niall O'Brien, who left early to catch a plane back to England, was Ireland's top scorer with 66 from 74 balls including nine fours and Andre Botha spent some valuable time in the middle before tougher assignments ahead to make 46, although he was dropped twice before he reached double figures.
Paul Mooney ripped through the CCC top order batting to reduce them to 59 for five with Botha the only other bowler to pick up a wicket in the first 22 overs.
The Conference side headed south last night and meet the Ireland A side in the first of two one-day games at Malahide today. At least the games should be rather more competitive than their games in Northern Ireland.
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