IRELAND face Scotland today attempting to erase the memory of the worst defeat in one-day international history.

Never before, in 2,726 matches, had a team lost by 290 runs but Kyle McCallan’s vastly inexperienced side suffered that indignity at Mannofield yesterday as an almost full-strength New Zealand XI showed no mercy. It was a black day in every meaning of the word.

Here was the third best one-day team in the world up against the 10th. Maybe if Ireland had been somewhere near World Cup strength - Eoin Morgan scored 93 for Middlesex yesterday - and the Black Caps had been missing seven of their first choice line-up, it would have been a fair contest. As it was, it was a benefit game for the magnificent Brendon McCullum and his opening partner James Marshall.

McCullum scored 166 - his last 66 coming off 29 balls - and Marshall made 161 - his third 50, including four sixes and four fours - in just 14 balls.

The partnership of 274 was the biggest Ireland have ever conceded, in 666 matches, the second highest opening stand in ODIs and the fifth best ever.

Even when McCullum was out, Ross Taylor came in and scored 59 from 24 balls as the mayhem continued and the 400 came up with two balls to spare. Long before then, however, no bowler wanted to be within 60 yards of the pitch.

For Peter Connell, on his ODI debut, playing against the country of his birth, it was particularly galling. Probably satisfied with seven overs for 48 in the face of such controlled hitting, his last two overs almost doubled his analysis and McCallan threw Reinhardt Strydom the ball for the last over to save the North Down man the embarrassment of going for a hundred.

It was to Strydom’s credit that he held up his hand because his previous over - and this was the first time he had bowled for Ireland - had disappeared for 19. Not only did he have Marshall caught off a skyer but the last two balls were ‘dots’!

Phil Eaglestone took the other wicket, McCullum caught on the cover boundary at the second attempt by Ryan Haire, allowing him to save face from two horror misfields early on when the tone was set for a fielding and bowling day to forget.

But it was nothing compared to the humiliating Ireland batting performance which followed. McCallan was honest enough to say afterwards it was “embarrassing” and “not one of the players sitting in that dressing room can say they gave off their best”.

Connell may take exception to that remark but the fact that he was top scorer, from No 10, with 22 only highlighted what went on before, although Jeetan Patel and Grant Elliott, the former Cliftonville professional, were not as threatening as Tim Southee, Michael Mason and Jacob Oram. That trio bowled as if it was an England batsmen at the other end but the Irish refused to stand up and be counted.

The only mitigating factor was that everyone, bar Paul Stirling (16 balls for four) and Andrew Poynter (18 balls for seven) attempted to be positive although only five other teams know what is like to chase over 400 for victory and Ireland have never scored more than 276 batting second. Strydom and Andre Botha were both out attempting to pull Tim Southee, Wilson and Ryan Haire were caught at second slip, driving, while Stirling, Andrew White, Andrew Poynter and Gary Kidd were caught behind defending.

Farcically, as so often happens with the last pair at the wicket, the innings ended with a run-out but the Ireland players have nowhere to run to. The Scots, who practised on the ground immediately after the match, are lying in wait and today’s game, for Ireland’s sake, must not only be a whole lot closer but, preferably a different result.