Irish Cricket 2007

**Sheridan** · 26/01/2007, 12:58 PM

About time this thread was established with the biggest season in the history of Irish cricket almost underway. The World Cup begins in the West Indies in March and will naturally monopolise media interest, but Ireland's participation in Division One of the World Cricket League (which begins in Kenya on Monday) is arguably more significant to the development of the game in this country.

All games are designated full One Day Internationals and Ireland stand a reasonable chance of consolidating their position as the best of the associate nations, although Kenya start as favourites. Both finalists will also qualify for this year's inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and receive handsome remuneration from the ICC.

Thereafter, Ireland take on Zimbabwe, Pakistan and the West Indies in Jamaica. Although Zimbabwe (depleted by politically-motivated defections) are eminently beatable, only a seismic upheaval of unprecedented scale will allow Ireland to qualify from Group D.

In between, Ireland defend their ICC Intercontinental Cup (the First Class, four-day competition for Associate nations) title against the United Arab Emirates, needing an outright victory to overtake Scotland and qualify for the final (where Group B winners Canada await.)

And that's all before the commencement of the domestic season and the national team's entry into the English ECB Trophy.

Recent results/upcoming fixtures

23rd Jan (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
Warm-up game
Ireland: 133 (Bray 43, Gillespie 13)
Eastern Province XI: 135/8 (Johnston 4-42, Langford-Smith 2-42, P Mooney 1-18, Rankin 1-28)
Eastern Province won by 2 wickets

24th Jan (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
Warm-up game
Ireland: 279/3 (Carroll 100, Bray 89, Morgan 43, N O' Brien 24*, White 9*)
Eastern Province XI: 219 (Johnston 4-34, Langford-Smith 3-39, Rankin 2-37, McCallan 1-35, J Mooney 0-17, White 0-19, P Mooney 0-33)
Ireland won by 60 runs

25th Jan (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
Warm-up game
Eastern Province Amateur XI: 304-3 (Langford-Smith 1-51, Rankin 0-50, K O’Brien 1-61, J Mooney 1-49, Johnston 0-22, McCallan 0-38, White 0-32)
Ireland: 304-8 (Porterfield 2, Bray 89, Morgan 13, N O'Brien 50, K O'Brien 13, Gillespie 33, J Mooney 51*, McCallan 0, White 4)
Match tied

30th Jan (Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Ireland vs. Scotland

31st Jan (Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Bermuda vs. Ireland

2nd Feb (Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Kenya vs. Ireland

4th Feb (Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Canada vs. Kenya

5th Feb (Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Ireland vs. Netherlands

Competition final - 7th Feb (Nairobi, Kenya.)

10th-13th Feb (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
Intercontinental Cup, Group A
United Arab Emirates vs. Ireland

16th Feb (50-over match)
United Arab Emirates vs. Ireland

I'll post squad profiles and further updates in the coming days.

Andrew White's World Cup Diary.

**Sheridan** · 27/01/2007, 12:32 PM

Ireland won their final warm-up fixture against an Eastern Province XI this morning, although, worryingly, captain Trent Johnston was rested after sustaining heavy contusions to the finger he broke in 2005's Intercontinental Cup final. Jeremy Bray, who evinced none of the rustiness which has afflicted his team-mates due to a summer spent playing club cricket in Australia, was also rested. Both teams fielded weakened XIs in this morning's game. Ireland's premier allrounder, André Botha, made his first appearance of the tour.

27th Jan (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)
Eastern Province XI: 111 (McCallan 4-24, K O'Brien 3-4, J Mooney 1-19, Botha 1-20, White 0-3, Rankin 0-17, P Mooney 0-22.)
Ireland XI: 112-2 (Porterfield 44*, Carroll 30, Morgan 0, Botha 13*.)
Ireland XI won by eight wickets

**razor** · 27/01/2007, 9:18 PM

Does anyone know if we have a new replica jersey on sale for the World Cup?
It would be great to have.

**Sheridan** · 29/01/2007, 3:04 PM

The kit is manufactured and distributed by Kukri Sports, I presume you can get it off them.

Kenya and Bermuda began the World Cricket League today. Bermuda were skittled out for 133, a target Kenya chased down within nineteen overs and without disturbace for an easy ten-wicket victory. Ireland open their campaign against Scotland in Nairobi tomorrow.

**bennocelt** · 29/01/2007, 7:48 PM

just curious but when does the world cup start?
and doesnt ireland have a b itch of a group, and england got an easy enuff one, typical!!!

will there a fantasy league thingy on for the world cup, as i have one done for the football and the rugby, and i like these things!

**noby** · 30/01/2007, 7:13 AM

Thanks Sheridan. Good round-up. Keep it up.

**razor** · 30/01/2007, 8:35 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

just curious but when does the world cup start?
and doesnt ireland have a bitch of a group, and england got an easy enuff one, typical!!!

It all starts on March 13th.
We've got Zimbabwe, Pakistan and the West Indies.
England have New Zealand, Canada and Kenya.
However easy your group is is relative to how good you are and England, despite playing rubbish right now are better than us.
Follow our Scotland game here
We won the toss, elected to bat and are 192/5

**DvB** · 30/01/2007, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by razor

Does anyone know if we have a new replica jersey on sale for the World Cup?
It would be great to have.

Elvereys (Suffolk Street) had a few of the one day shirts before christmas, i asked if they'd be getting more in before the WC & was told they should have them in February!

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 9:25 AM

Ireland made 280-7 off their 50 overs, opener Jeremy Bray top scoring with with what was by all accounts a classy knock of 116. Trent Johnston, batting eight, was 45 not out upon the completion of Scotland's allotted overs. Eoin Morgan made 41 in quick time, but, of Ireland's remaining batsmen, only he and McCallan (22) passed 14.

280 looks an imposing total, although Scotland have already chased down some improbable targets on this tour. Ireland's spinners McCallan and White are typically economical, but the pacemen have a big responsibility to suffocate Scotland's reply.

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 12:05 PM

In reply, Scotland are 144-4 off 32 overs, still quite a bit short of the required run-rate but with plenty of wickets in hand. This will be hairy.

Update: As I write, Scotland lose another crucial wicket, Carroll (substitute fielder, not sure who's gone off) catching Brown off McCallan. Another one gone three balls later! Hoffmann run out on 1. With the required run-rate climbing above eight an over, Ireland are on top now.

Neglected to mention earlier that Jeremy Bray's century was the first by an Irish player in a recognised ODI (Morgan was run out on 99 against Scotland last year.)

**Schumi** · 30/01/2007, 12:34 PM

Scotland have lost 6 wickets now and need 127 off the last 14 overs (9 an over). Looks good for Ireland, fingers crossed.

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 12:37 PM

They're 200-6 off 41 now. 81 required off 9 overs, but McCallum is scoring ominously quickly and the short boundaries (Johnston hit four sixes for Ireland) mean it's still somewhat in the balance. Smith batting with a runner, Ireland could use a wicket soon. Hasn't been a great bowling performance.

EDIT: 228-6 off 44 overs now. 53 required at 8.83 per over.

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 1:02 PM

Botha gets McCallum for 102 (caught White) and Scotland require 26 off 2.3 overs. 255-7 off 47.3, standby for a slog-fest.

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 1:13 PM

Scores are tied, one ball remaining.

**Sheridan** · 30/01/2007, 1:15 PM

Four off the last ball, Scotland win by three wickets.

30th Jan (Nairobi Gymkhana, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Ireland: 280-7 (Bray 116, Johnston 45*, Morgan 41) off 50 overs.
Scotland: 284-7 (bowling figures not yet available) off 50 overs.
Scotland won by three wickets

The Netherlands recorded an easy eight-wicket victory over Canada at Ruaraka Sports Club.

Ireland play Bermuda tomorrow and should take the points comfortably.

**pete** · 30/01/2007, 5:35 PM

Did Scotland up the run rate a lot near the end?

What kind of cheers do they have in cricket? Come on you chaps in green?

**kingdom hoop** · 30/01/2007, 8:08 PM

very disappointing result today, i thought we'd take the jocks.all is not lost though, hopefully we'll finish top two still.

good man sheridan for setting up the thread, there are plenty of irish sports fanatics out there who would even cheer our baton twirling team! i'd like to see cricket get going again, as it seems to be, like it was 30/40 years ago when there were teams in most towns around the country. there arent that many great teams out there but i'm sure it would be very difficult to reach test level. kids probably wouldnt think its 'kewl' enough though for it to catch on, but at least ed joyce has shown that irishmen are congenitally capable of playing the game. by the way, does anyone know if we can get him for the WC??is it a matter that if england dont pick him he will, or that now that he's played for england he cant play for us?

**Sheridan** · 31/01/2007, 9:44 AM

Another poor performance by Ireland's bowlers allowed Bermuda to amass an imposing total of 275-8 off 50 overs this morning. Ireland have yet to begin their response but are up against it. Highly disappointing considering Bermuda were rated the weakest team in the competition.

**Sheridan** · 31/01/2007, 2:35 PM

Ireland reached their target in the penultimate over to win by four wickets. William Porterfield carried his bat for 112*, Kevin O'Brien compensated for yesterday's wild final over with the ball by scoring a crucial 54. Yesterday's centurion Jeremy Bray, undoubtedly Ireland's form player, didn't play. Whether he was injured or rested I have yet to ascertain.

Ireland's bowlers contributed a monstrous 35 extras to Bermuda's total; the Bermudans returned the favour with 31 of their own.

31st Jan (Jaffreys, Nairobi, Kenya)
World Cricket League Division One
Bermuda: 275-8 (Botha 3-74, K O'Brien 2-38, White 2-44, McCallan 1-37, P Mooney 0-17, Rankin 0-25, Johnston 0-35) from 50 overs
Ireland: 276-6 (Porterfield 112*, Carroll 28, Morgan 0, N O'Brien 25, K O'Brien 54, Botha 9, McCallan 4, Johnston 14*) from 48.4 overs.
Ireland win by four wickets

Porterfield was ajudged man of the match. Elsewhere, Scotland eked out another narrow victory, this time by seven runs over Canada. Kenya trounced the Netherlands by 7 wickets. Neither result favours Ireland.

Ireland face hosts Kenya on Friday.

**Sheridan** · 02/02/2007, 10:03 AM

A superb partnership of 227 between William Porterfield and Kevin O'Brien gave Ireland a fighting chance of defeating Kenya in this morning's fixture at Ruaraka. Porterfield contributed his second century of the tournament, once again carrying his bat for 104*. O'Brien passed his brother Niall (dismissed for 9) as he strode out to bat with Ireland wobbling on 57-3 and bludgeoned 142 off 124 balls, a new Irish ODI record which included six sixes. He was run out off the final ball of the innings. Jeremy Bray didn't feature once again and is presumably unfit (though hopefully not suffering from typhoid, which has forced one Scottish player to return home.)

Kenya's response to Ireland's total of 284-4 will begin imminently. I have a feeling that the bowlers will once again betray a superb batting performance, but Ireland have made a very creditable start against the former World Cup semi-finalists. Uniquely, RTÉ Sport chose to lead with cricket; Ed Joyce's match-winning century for England against Australia. This country gives banana republics a bad name.