Posted 2013-January-07, 03:46
I think 2♥ is normal. I'd pass out 3♠, expecting to find partner with some wastage in diamonds. Opposite x Axx KQxx QJxxx we need trumps 2-2, ♦A right, and no club ruff, and he could be worse than that.
North's 1NT bid looks normal too.
I think partner might have done more. 2NT ought to show a strong raise here, but presumably that wasn't part of your agreed methods. I can see why he didn't bid game - he's not expecting this miracle fit either. Perhaps he should bid it anyway, because it has several ways to win: it might make, it might push them into a non-making 4♠, and it might be a save against 3♠.
... that would still not be conclusive proof, before someone wants to explain that to me as well as if I was a 5 year-old. - gwnn