Irish Cricket 2007

[passinginterest]

Sounds like a bit of a return to form for the Irish lads. Hopefully the batsmen won't let them down.

[TheBoss]

This is a great start, we are doing to Canada that Sri Lanka did to us :D

[Sheridan]

After a modicum of resistance from Bhatti (22 not out), Canada succumbed for 92, Osinde hoisting Johnston to mid-off, where he was caught by Fourie, enjoying a productive First Class début.

Bowling figures:

Langford-Smith 9-1-39-1
Johnston 9.4-4-12-4
Fourie 8-0-31-3
O'Brien 4-3-4-2
McCallan 1-1-0-0

It remains to be seen how Ireland's brittle opening partnership bears up on a seaming wicket. If Canada paid any attention to Bray's dismissals during the World Cup they'll pepper his off stump early on. What odds another duck for Porterfield (surely the only specialist backward point in international cricket?) Either that or a ton...

[Schumi]

Either that or a ton...I doubt he'll get 100 today. :D

[Sheridan]

He could, it's a four-day game! Two innings apiece (if necessary.)

[Schumi]

Doh, I thought it was a one-day competition. :o

[Sheridan]

Ireland are clipping along nicely at 56 without loss off 16 overs (Bray 40*, Porterfield 15*)

[passinginterest]

Sheridan as your the resident expert what do you think is best, maybe try put about 350 on the board and declare the innings?

[Sheridan]

Depends how quickly they get there, assuming they do. Canada need to win the game outright now because first innings lead (which Ireland will secure comfortably considering they're currently 81/0) is the tiebreaker if the game is drawn. If Ireland can post 400 or so by tomorrow afternoon that would be ideal. They should be looking to bat once, and I doubt Canada will have any more than 300 (at the absolute maximum) in them during their second innings. So 400 should be the target.

[TheBoss]

I think that 300 would be a decent score, get the Canadians back in, they might post a score of about 250-300, leaving Ireland about 100 to win.

[Sheridan]

Why risk having to knock off 100 runs? Ireland can bat for the rest of the game and still win the tournament. I think they'll want to win the match for reasons of prestige, in which context 400 and a first-innings lead of 308 would be the optimal score.

90/0 now. Three runs needed to win the game, IMO...

[TheBoss]

Yes but it is only 4 days not the usual 5, that has to make some difference to the score.

[Sheridan]

When you've already bowled out the opposition inside two sessions, four days is plenty. Ireland are used to playing three-day games in this competition, the current iteration is the first time it's been played over four days. Anyway, Ireland could yet collapse before declarations come into the equation. I think they're more likely to be bowled out for 330-ish, but that will be plenty.

100 partnership up off 26 overs, they've just resumed after tea. Bray 73*, Porterfield 25*.

[Sheridan]

Ton up for Jerm'y Bray with a cut through point, his 19th four in a score of 101* which also included a six. Ireland are now 147/0, a record opening stand for the Intercontinental Cup.

[TheBoss]

Ends at 202

[Sheridan]

At close of play on day one, Ireland are 250/3. Peter "Past It" Gillespie was the third man out for 18. Bray made 146, Porterfield 54. Morgan and Kevin O'Brien are both unbeaten on 13 at stumps.

[TheBoss]

Good situation so far, 300-350 is realistically the best total they could get.

Porterfield, I must say is not prolific enough, he has to get some more aggression to improve as a batsman.

[BobtheDrog]

With Eoin Morgan at the crease and some strong batting to come I can see Ireland comfortably making 500 the pitch is just getting flatter so there won`t be a lot for the canadian bowlers, the forecast is good so hopefully won`t have any rain delays.

I hate to disagree with a fellow drog but Porterfield did exactly what was necessary to my mind Bray was letting loose so he just played a support innings, this isn`t one day cricket he doesn`t need to be going along at a run a ball.

[TheBoss]

Even in 1 day cricket, he can be very slow.

[Sheridan]

Canada have hit back before lunch on day two with a hat-trick from Umar Bhatti. Bhatti removed Kevin O'Brien lbw for 35 and then disposed of Andrew White (0), Gary Wilson and Thinus Fourie in consecutive balls. A hat-trick of lbw decisions (and four wickets in five balls) to leave Ireland 303/7 with Morgan unbeaten on 46 (well on the way to another meaningless fifty against crap opposition) and Johnston coming to the crease.

[Sheridan]

Bhatti almost had four in four and five in six but umpire Baldwin turned down another lbw appeal against Johnston.

[TheBoss]

Typical, the team always collapses, that is a big weakness that needs to be addressed.

[Sheridan]

It's a pretty common phenomenon in the world of cricket, to be honest. A lengthy partnership is often followed by a glut of wickets, because players lose concentration in the dressing room. Didn't help that the new ball, which Canada took after 80 overs, was swinging around corners. Hopefully Langford-Smith and Johnston can exploit that when Canada bat again.

At lunch Ireland are 324-8, Johnston having been bowled by Osinde in the last over before the interval. The lead is now 232.

[TheBoss]

Get to 250 lead and that would be good.

[Sheridan]

I think they're more likely to be bowled out for 330-ish, but that will be plenty.
God I'm good. Ireland 352 all out (the additional runs were due to Eoin Morgan hitting out with only Langford-Smith for company and thumping a flurry of fours and sixes.) Ireland lead by 260.

Irish card:

JP Bray: 146 (c Mulla b Davison)
WTS Porterfield: 54 ( c Bagai b Samad)
EJG Morgan: 84 ( c Bagai b Umar Bhatti)
PG Gillespie: 18 (lbw b Samad
KJ O'Brien: 35 (lbw b Umar Bhatti)
AR White: 0 (lbw b Umar Bhatti)
+GC Wilson: 0 (lbw b Umar Hbatti)
MJ Fourie: 0 (lbw b Umar Bhatti)
*DT Johnston: 9 (b Osinde)
WK McCallan: 2 ( c Jyoti b Osinde)
D Langford-Smith: 1*

[Dodge]

Canada 43/3 after 10 overs

Johnstone with 2 and Big Dave with the other.

[Sheridan]

Latest score is 63/4, Bagai caught O'Brien bowled Johnston. Bit of an anti-climax, this.

[Poor Student]

Is this the style of match that the big countries play at test level? Do you play infinite overs until you're all bowled out?

[Sheridan]

Yeah, except Test cricket is played over five days rather than four. This is proper cricket. You bat until you declare your innings closed for tactical reasons, or you're bowled out, or you reach your target and win, or the prescribed number of days expire.

McCallan strikes last ball before tea. Kaiser Ali trapped lbw for 6, Canada 81-5. This should be over inside two days. DLS has done back in, apparently.

[Schumi]

Is this the style of match that the big countries play at test level? Do you play infinite overs until you're all bowled out?Almost; you don't have infinite overs, they're limited by time, you get four days in this game (five in a test match). I think there's usually about 80 overs in day. Each team gets two innings as opposed to one in one-day games.

[TheBoss]

This should be a comfortable inside 2 days !

I think in a Test Match, from what I saw, it is 80 overs to new ball.

[Sheridan]

It's 80 in Test cricket, 90 in county cricket and evidently 80 in the Intercontinental Cup.

McCallan takes a return catch off his own bowling to remove Mulla for 48. Canada 114-6.

[Sheridan]

Kyoti caught in the slip cordon by White off O'Brien. 127/7, almost done and dusted. McCallan bowls Bastampillai next over. 131/8.

[Poor Student]

You bat until you declare your innings closed for tactical reasons, or you're bowled out, or you reach your target and win, or the prescribed number of days expire.


How would it be in your advantage to end an innings early?

If a game is still running when the time elapses do they use some sort of Duckworth Lewis method to compare scores?

[Sheridan]

How would it be in your advantage to end an innings early?
To use an extreme (hypothetical) example, imagine a team was so superior to its opponent that they couldn't bowl them out within five days. Obviously there's no advantage to the superior team in seeing the five days elapse without a result and thus end the game in a draw. Typically a team will declare its innings closed in order to give themselves time to bowl the opposition out and win the game.

If a game is still running when the time elapses do they use some sort of Duckworth Lewis method to compare scores?
Nope. Once the five days elapse without a result, it's a draw. Playing for a draw from a disadvantageous position is an art in itself. There used to be such a thing as "timeless Tests", one of which, in the early 1900s, ended in a draw after about 10 days because England (closing in on their mammoth target) had to catch their boat home from South Africa.

[Sheridan]

Aus, aus, das Spiel ist aus! McCallan bowls Codrington and then has Osinde caught by White to finish with a second innings Michelle.

Canada are dismissed for 145, Ireland win by an innings and 115 runs to retain the Intercontinental Cup.

[Poor Student]

Nope. Once the five days elapse without a result, it's a draw. Playing for a draw from a disadvantageous position is an art in itself. There used to be such a thing as "timeless Tests", one of which, in the early 1900s, ended in a draw after about 10 days because England (closing in on their mammoth target) had to catch their boat home from South Africa.

Hahaha. Thanks for the information.

[TheBoss]

It seems this Intercontinental Cup is easy for the Irish :D

[Jerry The Saint]

:rolleyes:So much for the team gaining proper cricket experience from a four-day game. :D :D

[Sheridan]

Ireland's game with Surrey was (mercifully, as Surrey racked up a world record 496 in 50 overs in an earlier game) abandoned as a no result today due to rain.

[TheBoss]

More rain at todays game so far.

[Sheridan]

Sussex v Ireland rained off, no result. Ireland's overseas player Jesse Ryder will not be returning to the squad after failing to show at the Surrey game, claiming he missed his plane. Slow left-armer Gary Kidd has been called up instead, but a new overseas player may be contracted before the next game.

[Sheridan]

Trent Johnston will captain Europe against the MCC at Lord's on June 7th. Four Irish players have been selected in the European squad, which will be coached by former Ireland boss Adrian Birrell.

Full squad:
Trent Johnston (Ireland, captain)
John Blain (Scotland)
Jeremy Bray (Ireland)
Freddie Klokker (Denmark)
Kyle McCallan (Ireland)
Kevin O’Brien (Ireland)
Glenn Rogers (Scotland)
Colin Smith (Scotland)
Ryan Watson (Scotland)
Craig Wright (Scotland)
Bas Zuiderent (Netherlands)
12th man:
Kris Moherndl (Guernsey)

[TheBoss]

Not Looking good for the ODI's v South Africa and India

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/296355.html

[BobtheDrog]

games to go ahead as planned
http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES/articles/000046/004690.shtml

also Eoin Morgan made 70 odd yesterday against somerset.

[TheBoss]

At least that is some good news.

[Sheridan]

Europe restricted MCC to 183 at Lord's this morning. Europe are currently 14/2, with Jeremy Bray suffering the unique experience of being dismissed by an Afghan.

[Sheridan]

Europe defeated MCC by 2 wickets in a close game at Lord's. The Scottish bowlers did the damage in restricting MCC to 183. Europe were in desperate trouble at 33-5 (Bray 10, O'Brien 3) but Trent Johnston (48) and the Dane Freddie Klokker (47) rescued the innings. McCallan with 28 and Scotland's Wright (23*) saw Europe home.

[TheBoss]

Good old Trent to the rescue, probably got 4, 6 sixes :D

[BobtheDrog]

South African squad for irish tour
http://content-www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/current/story/297228.html