Ireland won their first NatWest Trophy tie in 20 attempts yesterday beating Northumberland by five wickets with 2.1 overs to spare in Newcastle.

Ed Joyce delivered the win with a succession of flowing drives following good work from openers Neil Carson and Kyle McCallan but the day belonged to 19-yearold Dwayne McGerrigle who took five for 66.

The Donemana seam bowler began a larger than life debut by taking a wicket with his fourth ball and then struck three crucial blows in his final over.

At 215 for 3, Northumberland were poised for a final assault in their last six overs that could have buried Ireland's hopes for another year - six balls later they were 217-6 and struggling to reach 2538.

Home opener Wayne Falla had shown the Irish how to hit through the ball as he took advantage of an early spilled chance to top score with 80, but soon Carson and McCallan were making rapid progress in a stand of 103.

Carson hit 10 boundaries including a six, in his 79-ball half century and Stephen Smyth also enjoyed himself with successive big sixes on an excellent Jesmond pitch before falling out to mid wicket.

Irish nerves may have been a little frayed when South African professional Gerald Tros failed and Andy Patterson fell victim to a smart leg-side stumping with 56 still needed but even when the first-class counties enter this competition in June, there will be few better men than Joyce coming in at seven. Ireland's next opponents will be the Essex "recreational" side at Comber on May 19th with the winners earning a home tie against county champions Leicestershire.

Opener Steve Crawley, who has been overlooked for Scotland's World Cup campaign, sought to prove a point to the selectors by inspiring a nine-wicket first-round victory at Linlithgow. Crawley took out his frustration on a Nottinghamshire XI with an unbeaten 109.