The Cricket Thread

[passinginterest]

Hammered the Canadians in the end

Canada 106/8 (20/20 ov)

Ireland 109/0 (9.3/20 ov)

Ireland won by 10 wickets (with 63 balls remaining)

[BobtheDrog]

looked like they would win it faster, slwed down a bit towards the end

[mypost]

First time since the Kenya game our batting has looked impressive. 82/0 from the powerplay was brilliant from an opening partnership which has looked far from the real deal most of this tournament. Canada are no mugs, they were in last year's World Cup and did very well to get this far. They will play Scotland in the 5th place play-off, as we play Holland in effectively a T20 qualifying semi-final. Last year's WC game was a 600-run fest. It won't be that tomorrow, but we'll have to play just as well today to beat them.

[bennocelt]

http://www.espnstar.com/live/

[mypost]

Won by 7 wickets. It's win tomorrow to go to Sri Lanka or get the first flight home.

[bennocelt]

http://www.espnstar.com/live/
10/1 good start

[culloty82]

In the end, we cruise to qualification - Namibia limited to a miserable 94 from their innings, while we reach our target in the first ball of the 11th over. Not sure if tomorrow's final determines the groupings, but have heard they would be in the same group as India and England - a repeat of last year's heroics?

[mypost]

The final is today at 2pm, and there will be a crowd at it. If we lose, we play England in the WC.

But the result doesn't matter. The objective has been achieved. Well done to the entire team.

[nigel-harps1954]

5 wicket win in the end up. Great stuff, but it had to be expected at this stage.

Stuck into a group with Australia and West Indies. Would have to fancy the chances of getting out of that group. Neither team have been hugely impressive in the past year or two.

[BobtheDrog]

Great win for the lads, Stirling hitting great form towards the end of the tournament hopefully he can carry it through the year.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Great stuff. Who cares about the group...

[BonnieShels]

Stirling was magnificent and despite his erratic play in the beginning of his time at the crease Wilson played well.
Delighted for the lads.

Much happier with a group containing Australia and Windies than India and England.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Why?

We'll never win the thing...

[nigel-harps1954]

Why?

We'll never win the thing...


Not with an attitude like that anyway ;P

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well not this one;give it a few years/decades.

[BonnieShels]

Why?

We'll never win the thing...

I know.

But I would rather a victory in the group stages at least and I think we could achieve that against the Windies.

[nigel-harps1954]

Call me crazy, but I'd be strangely optimistic of us upsetting anyone in a 20/20 game. Anything can happen in the short format and I'd fancy Ireland to at least come out of the group and possibly reach a semi final.

[BonnieShels]

Completely agree Nigel. Barring the opening abominations against Namibia and Italy we are by far and away the best Associate Nation. Id wager now at this stage that we would be better than Zimbabwe and the Bengals.

Training starts back in Monday night. Can't bloody well wait.

[MariborKev]

A few headed over to it, great trip.

Roll on Sri Lanka.

[nigel-harps1954]

Would love to make it over to the 20/20 World Cup. The craic would be unreal. Know a few who headed over to the last one and said was absolutely class.

[BonnieShels]

Would love to make it over to the 20/20 World Cup. The craic would be unreal. Know a few who headed over to the last one and said was absolutely class.

I wanted to head over to the ODI WC 2007. But never managed it. I did get the Black Bull in Drogheda to put the Pakistan game on the big screen and managed to get the whole bar to watch it and cheer.

Amazing.

[bennocelt]

Would love to make it over to the 20/20 World Cup. The craic would be unreal. Know a few who headed over to the last one and said was absolutely class.

Yeah me too, much more into this than the Euros coming up. Seriously going to think about it if I can get the funds, but thats a big if!!!!:(

[nigel-harps1954]

Yeah me too, much more into this than the Euros coming up. Seriously going to think about it if I can get the funds, but thats a big if!!!!:(

Funny thats the same myself. Not a huge amount of buzz for me toward the Euros but looking forward to the 20/20s.
Would nearly consider going too if I wasn't already going to Australia for Christmas with the lady.

[padjoe]

IRELAND is ready to compete against the world at Test level.

That is according to Franklyn A Rose, a former West Indies international cricketer, who is based in Auckland.

“They are far more better than lots of teams that are playing test cricket at the moment,” Rose told the Irish Champion.

“I do think it’s time for Ireland to receive test status. Ireland have a lot of world class players. They have proven to the world that could beat any other team on a given day.”

The right arm fast bowler feels former team-mate Phil Simmons is the man to continue leading Ireland on the right track.

“Phil Simmons is the right person for the development role. He has the cricketing knowledge, the skills and not to mention his cricketing background. I think he is a true role model for the future of Ireland’s cricket.”

Rose’s encouragement forcomes following the January declaration by Cricket Ireland chief executive, Warren Deutrom that will be playing Test cricket by 2020.

“I think the ireland cricket board need to put a lot of pressure on the ICC, letting them know that they are ready to compete against the world at test level. Hopefully they will be granted test status soon.” Rose concluded.

Rose made his debut for Jamaica in 1993 against Barbados and first played for the West Indies against India at Sabina Park in 1997. He took 53 wickets in his 19 Tests, returning seven wickets for 84 runs against South Africa in 1999.

Ireland’s desire to reach test status is in part to stem the tide of Irish players using residency rules to switch to playing for England in order to play at full international test match level.

Ireland are currently preparing to play host to Australia and Afghanistan in June and July before beginning their Twenty20 World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka in September.

http://www.irishchampion.co.nz/ireland-deserving-of-test-status/

[OwlsFan]

It's just one West Indian backing another I think. I don't believe we'll be granted test status. Ok we might be better than Zimbabwe at the moment but that's about it and we know their issues.. Clontarf isn't test standard either.

[nigel-harps1954]

It's just one West Indian backing another I think. I don't believe we'll be granted test status. Ok we might be better than Zimbabwe at the moment but that's about it and we know their issues.. Clontarf isn't test standard either.

Sure isn't Stormont the main Cricket ground for Ireland? Holds about 6,000 I think, and talk of an upgrade last I heard.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Malahide is the long-term aim, as a purpose built ground?

Anyway, Stormont beckons with Australia in town.

Gutted so soon after Euros but here's to a better show than Polska or in NZ...
:(

[Stuttgart88]

After 3 balls what were you thinking?

[ArdeeBhoy]

That it's happened to better sides than us...

Anyway, we got the 'No result'.
;)

[nigel-harps1954]

Eoin Morgan destroying the Aussies at the minute. Imagine if he was still with Ireland. Shameful loss really to Irish cricket.

[Stuttgart88]

What's the format of the ODI World Cup qualification series? Ireland is top of the table and plays Afghanistan again this week (4 times?). Please explain!

[WexCar]

What's the format of the ODI World Cup qualification series? Ireland is top of the table and plays Afghanistan again this week (4 times?). Please explain!

Teams play each other twice with top 2 qualifying for WC. The remaining 6 go into a second phase of qualifying with 4 teams from division 3 & 4. Two teams will qualify for the WC from this group.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm sorry I missed this on radio 4 this morning, a 30 minute documentyary on Irish Cricket. Unfortunately it's not on playback so if anyone can somehow get a copy I'd love to hear it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ks2yp

Kevin O Brien's century for Ireland against England in the 2011 World Cup was the fastest of all time. Irish cricket fans had waited at least a hundred years to celebrate such a victory.

Before the game there had been precious few victories, but also precious few supporters and players to celebrate them. But after the match cricket fans in Ireland slowly started a whispering chorus of texts, tweets and emails, as the enormity of their team's achievement spread from the few who understood, to the masses who didn't.

On the state broadcaster RTE's main tea time show, their chief political correspondent finished a very serious report about the ongoing coalition talks and suddenly broke into an impassioned monologue to listeners:

'I don't know if you remember the Norwegian commentator the night when Norway beat England? He started shouting 'are you listening Maggie Thatcher?'. Well -.are you listening Geoffrey Boycott? Are you listening Mick Jagger? Are you listening Oliver Cromwell? Our boys just thrashed you at cricket!'

It was an extraordinary moment. Cricket had crashed into the national consciousness.

Ireland may have the third oldest cricket club in the world - Phoenix cricket club in Dublin - but in the centuries since it was established, there have been concerted efforts to ban it and relegate it to the bottom of Ireland's sporting fixtures. Viewed as unpatriotic and a colonial imposition, the GAA - the national sporting association - banned its members from playing or watching 'foreign sports'. Playing cricket became a political decision.

In Over the Boundary, Kevin Connolly tells the story of how cricket batted its way into Ireland's sporting arena.

Producer: Rachel Hooper
A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4

[osarusan]

Kevin O Brien's century for Ireland against England in the 2011 World Cup was the fastest of all time.
Fastest ever in the World Cup. Only 6th fastest of all time.

[/pedantor]

[BonnieShels]

World Twenty20 starting tomorrow... WHOOP!

Ireland warm-up with another victory.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/cricket/2012/0917/337884-ireland-edge-past-bangladesh/

Seriously... we're not a test nation why?

And as luck would have it I will be relaxing with my post-All-Ireland hangover with Ireland v Windies. CMON!

[Gather round]

World Twenty20 starting tomorrow... WHOOP!

Ireland warm-up with another victory.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/cricket/2012/0917/337884-ireland-edge-past-bangladesh/

Seriously... we're not a test nation why?

And as luck would have it I will be relaxing with my post-All-Ireland hangover with Ireland v Windies. CMON!

Aye, I'm quite looking forward to this. Pity the groups weren't of four teams instead of three.

Ireland won't get test status mainly because there isn't a domestic four-innings (aka first class) competition, and secondly due to lack of political clout like Bangladesh's.

On the other hand, test cricket is declining pretty much everywhere bar England, Australia and up to a point South Africa. So limited overs may eventually become dominant anyway.

[BonnieShels]

Aye, I'm quite looking forward to this. Pity the groups weren't of four teams instead of three.

Ireland won't get test status mainly because there isn't a domestic four-innings (aka first class) competition, and secondly due to lack of political clout like Bangladesh's.

On the other hand, test cricket is declining pretty much everywhere bar England, Australia and up to a point South Africa. So limited overs may eventually become dominant anyway.

It was more a rhetorical question. It's frustrating to see us not play at what is still the pinnacle of the game.

[ArdeeBhoy]

It's partly because too many Irish cricketers are happy to go off to play for Eng.& Wales with all their multinational mercenaries.

More importantly, is the W.Indies game at 1500 hrs. IST today.
Rate our chances as 40-60 at best...

[ArdeeBhoy]

I know.

But I would rather a victory in the group stages at least and I think we could achieve that against the Windies.

We'll see shortly.

Don't share that level of optimism.

[bennocelt]

live stream anyone.........please

[strangeirish]

live stream anyone.........please
http://www.online--soccer.eu/

[Stuttgart88]

Match abandoned so Windies go through, though we fell short anyway I think.

Didn't we go out of the last T20 WC in the same way? England had set us a beatable score but we never got to bat. Something like that anyway.

[ArdeeBhoy]

It's a sh*te concept anyway...

[ArdeeBhoy]

Review of 2012, belatedly.

http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES6/articles/000026/002610.shtml

[culloty82]

Ireland almost certain victors in the UAE - 589/7 against the hosts current total of 56/1.

[BonnieShels]

Ireland almost certain victors in the UAE - 589/7 against the hosts current total of 56/1.

I heard we had a total of 400-odd at 845 this morning. Insane stuff. This glass-ceiling sucks.

[ArdeeBhoy]

You mean in terms of being not able to play Tests?

[Charlie Darwin]

Ireland almost certain victors in the UAE - 589/7 against the hosts current total of 56/1.
At first I thought these were the odds. Almost jumped on it for the laugh.

[BonnieShels]

You mean in terms of being not able to play Tests?

Yes I do.

589 is a frightening score to make.

[OwlsFan]

Played in a game last weekend. We made 99 ao. The opposition made 100 for 9 wickets off the last ball. Never played in a game like that before. When we totted their book though at the end it only came to 99 but we gave them the win because they probably could have made 2 off the last ball. Very few sports can actually come to ends like that (the miscounting aside).