Friday, January 29, 2010

Ireland World Twenty20 Qualifying Squad Announced

Gary Wilson

The squads for the World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament in Dubai and Abu Dubai from February 9th to 15th have been announced. Eight teams are battling for two places. The winner of the tournament will be placed in Group C, with the runner-up appearing in Group D alongside England. The World Twenty20 itself takes place in the West Indies from April 30th to May 16th this year.

Ireland's squad includes 13 members from last year's World Twenty20 which was held in England. There Ireland achieved a fantastic result beating Bangladesh in the group stage, and made it to the Super Eights. It's going to be a great summer of cricket if we make it.

Ireland Squad:
Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Peter Connell, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Gary Kidd, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Paul Striling, Andrew White, and Gary Wilson.

Ireland U19 World Cup Player Stats

Ireland came 10th at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, coming 3rd in Group B, and losing out in the Plate Final to Bangladesh. Here is how the players performed at the tournament.

Ben Ackland
Batting
Innings: 4
Runs: 127
Balls faced: 275
Average: 42.33
Strike Rate: 46.18
High Score: 66 v South Africa
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


Andrew Balbirnie
Batting
Innings: 5
Runs: 31
Balls faced: 103
Average: 7.75
Strike Rate: 30.09
High Score: 20* v Zimbabwe
Bowling
Overs: 39
Runs: 189
Wickets: 7
Economy: 4.84
Strike Rate: 33.42
Best score: 4-59 v Bangladesh


Jordan Coghlan
Batting
Innings: 1
Runs: 2
Balls faced: 13
Average: 2.00
Strike Rate: 15.38
High Score: 2 v Australia
Bowling
Overs: 18
Runs: 106
Wickets: 2
Economy: 5.88
Strike Rate: 54.00
Best score: 2-62 v Australia


Adrian D'Arcy
Batting
Innings: 1
Runs: 5
Balls faced: 16
Average: 5.00
Strike Rate: 31.25
High Score: 5 v Australia
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


George Dockrell
Batting
Innings: 1
Runs: 6
Balls faced: 20
Average: 6.00
Strike Rate: 30.00
High Score: 6 v Australia
Bowling
Overs: 30
Runs: 122
Wickets: 5
Economy: 4.06
Strike Rate: 36.00
Best score: 2-7 v Zimbabwe



Shane Getkate
Batting
Innings: 1
Runs: 4
Balls faced: 32
Average: 4.00
Strike Rate: 12.50
High Score: 4 v Bangladesh
Bowling
Overs: 20
Runs: 129
Wickets: 2
Economy: 6.45
Strike Rate: 60.00
Best score: 2-40 v Zimbabwe


Graeme McCarter
Batting
Innings: 0
Runs: -
Balls faced: -
Average: -
Strike Rate: -
High Score: -
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


Graham McDonnell
Batting
Innings: 4
Runs: 90
Balls faced: 120
Average: 45.00
Strike Rate: 75.00
High Score: 35* v USA
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


Lee Nelson
Batting
Innings: 5
Runs: 73
Balls faced: 110
Average: 14.60
Strike Rate: 66.36
High Score: 55 v South Africa
Bowling
Overs: 10.1
Runs: 69
Wickets: 3
Economy: 6.78
Strike Rate: 20.33
Best score: 3-3 v USA


Stuart Poynter
Batting
Innings: 4
Runs: 34
Balls faced: 25
Average: 17.00
Strike Rate: 136.00
High Score: 25* v South Africa
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


Eddie Richardson
Batting
Innings: 1
Runs: 0
Balls faced: 1
Average: 0.00
Strike Rate: 0.00
High Score: 0 v Bangladesh
Bowling
Overs: 4
Runs: 43
Wickets: 1
Economy: 10.75
Strike Rate: 24.00
Best score: 1-43 v Bangladesh


James Shannon
Batting
Innings: 3
Runs: 3
Balls faced: 27
Average: 1.50
Strike Rate: 11.11
High Score: 2 v Bangladesh
Bowling
Overs: 0
Runs: -
Wickets: -
Economy: -
Strike Rate: -
Best score: -


Paul Stirling
Batting
Innings: 5
Runs: 209
Balls faced: 190
Average: 41.80
Strike Rate: 110.00
High Score: 114 v USA
Bowling
Overs: 37
Runs: 174
Wickets: 3
Economy: 4.70
Strike Rate: 74.00
Best score: 2-42 v South Africa


Stuart Thompson
Batting
Innings: 5
Runs: 79
Balls faced: 136
Average: 15.80
Strike Rate: 58.08
High Score: 27 v USA
Bowling
Overs: 25
Runs: 115
Wickets: 3
Economy: 4.60
Strike Rate: 50.00
Best score: 2-29 v South Africa


Craig Young
Batting
Innings: 2
Runs: 0
Balls faced: 6
Average: 0.00
Strike Rate: 0.00
High Score: 0 v USA
Bowling
Overs: 35
Runs: 166
Wickets: 9
Economy: 4.74
Strike Rate: 23.33
Best score: 4-14 v Zimbabwe

Thursday, January 28, 2010

U19 Player Ratings v Bangladesh

Ireland sadly lost by 195 runs to Bangladesh in the ICC Under 19 World Cup Plate competition - for the best runners up, and essentially came 10th in the World Cup overall. Not a terrible result for Ireland, but it would have been nice to win the Plate after missing out on the quarter finals. Once again, Ireland's batting was not strong enough, and Bangladesh played an all-round better game of cricket in Napier, New Zealand.

Stuart Thompson
Better at the bat from Thompson, scoring 20 runs from 27 balls. He also took one wicket with the ball, allowing 28 runs in 6 overs. A decent finale from the opener.
Rating: 7

Lee Nelson
A hugely disappointing game from Nelson as he was run out for four, and gave away a massive 57 runs from eight overs. We've seen better from him earlier in the competition, and perhaps the pressure of being moved to opening bat was too much for him.
Rating: 4

Paul Stirling
Lasted only eight balls at bat, but put a fine 11 runs on the scoreboard, when Ireland were chasing. Worked hard, and would have had a real impact if he stayed in longer. His aggression let him down. Bowled six overs, but took no wickets and allowed 32 runs.
Rating: 6

Andrew Balbirnie
A game of two vastly different halves from the Irish under-19 cricket captain. Bowled a masterful 4-59 in ten overs, but did not even score one run at bat. Was lbwed on his first ball, and never got a chance to gain ground on Bangladesh.
Rating: 6

James Shannon
Shannon had another disappointing game, making just two runs in ten balls. He lasted fourteen minutes, but made no significant impact on the game.
Rating: 4

Ben Ackland
Another fine spell at bat from Ackland, but his low run-rate did not help Ireland's cause. He was 34 not out at the game's end, but needed more than just two fours to help reach the target. That said, he was Ireland's highest scorer yesterday, which is to be commended.
Rating: 7

Graham McDonnell
Very aggressive batting from McDonnell, who scored 31 in 42 balls, including 3 fours and a six. His strike-rate of 78.30 was exactly what was needed to help push Ireland towards the required run-rate, but sadly it was not enough.
Rating: 7

Stuart Poynter
Definitely one to forget for Poynter. He did absolutely nothing the entire game, in fact, he didn't even face one ball during his time at bat. Run-out after just four minutes, he'll be no doubt extremely disappointed with his performance here.
Rating: 1

Shane Getkate
The highlight of Getkate's game was his one maiden over, however giving 53 runs up in the other 8 was not his best. Took no wickets, and at bat scored a measly 4 runs from 32 balls.
Rating: 4

Eddie Richardson
Richardson's ODI debut at this level was a decent, but far from brilliant start. Took one wicket in his four overs with the ball, but gave away far too many runs (43). In addition, he scored nothing with the bat, facing only one ball.
Rating: 5

Craig Young
2-33 was a good score for Young, allowing 33 runs in 7 overs. 0 from 1 ball was not, when he was asked to bat at the end of Ireland's innings, and when he was caught behind, Kamrul Islam Rabbi celebrated his hat-trick as Bangladesh won the match in style.
Rating: 6

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Match Report: Ireland vs Afghanistan Day 1



At the close of play on Day 1 of Ireland's First Class four-day match against Afghanistan in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, the boys in green are still at bat with a marvellous score of 324/7.

Ireland won the toss and chose to bat. An excellent opening partnership from William Porterfield and Gary Wilson set us on the way, with a score of 120 for first wicket. Wilson lasted almost two hours, posting 53 runs along the way. The captain, Porterfield was next out, fo 78 after 175 minutes and 134 balls. He scored seven fours and two sixes along the way.

Niall O'Brien, Andrew White and Alex Cusack all did well for the Irish, scoing 66, 43, and 39 respectively. Unfortnately all-rounder Andre Botha was stumped for a duck after 5 balls, and Kevin O'Brien scored just 16 runs in his 53 minutes at bat.

At close of play, John Mooney and Trent Johnston were in, with only five runs between them, Johnston not having posted a run in eleven balls. Hopefully he can get into double figures tomorrow before Ireland turn around to bowl against Afghanistan.

Samiullah Shenwari was the best of their bowling side, taking 3-55 in 20 overs. 98 overs were played in all, and the match is due to continue until Sunday.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Royal Bangalore sign Eoin Morgan in IPL Auction



Former Ireland international Eoin Morgan was the only English player signed at the IPL Auction this morning. The current England One Day International player has made a name for himself playing Twenty20 for his newly adopted national side, and joins England batsman Kevin Pietersen at Bangalore for this year's Indian Premier League.

Royal Challengers Bangalore outbid Chennai Super Kings by $10,000 to ensure Morgan's signing. The batsman cost them $220,000, and was chosen ahead of the other Englishmen in the auction including Graeme Swann and Mark Ramprakesh.

The IPL begins on March 12th, with Bangalore facing Kolkata at Kolkata on March 14th in their first game. The Dubliner will be back with Middlesex for their domestic season at the IPL's end.

U19 Player Ratings vs USA

Ireland won their third and final group game at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand by five wickets thanks to fantastic batting from Paul Stirling and equally inspired bowling by Lee Nelson.

Andrew Balbirnie
Another disappointing batting spell from Ireland's under-19 captain, but his bowling was vastly improved against USA. Scored just three runs, but his 1-26 in 9 overs was very impressive, keeping the run rate down to help Ireland's required target.
Rating: 7

Stuart Thomspon
A decent stint at bat from SR Thompson, lasting an hour and scoring 27 runs. His bowling wasn't as strong, giving away 21 runs in just three overs.
Rating: 6

Paul Stirling
This is the performance we've been waiting for from Stirling. It was only a matter of time before he'd get his chance to shine in New Zealand. Took one wicket for 37 runs in 8 overs, but it was with the bat where he shone. Ireland's first century of the tournament, a remarkable 114 fom 104 balls.
Rating: 9

Ben Ackland
Not as good as previous outings, Ackland got just sixteen runs in 35 minutes, this was a decent score, but should do better against weak opposition. His catch on Sewdial was a highlight.
Rating: 6

Lee Nelson
A hugely disappointing inning with the bat, lasting just three balls and scoring no runs. However, his bowling was the complete opposite, as he finished off the American tail in style. Took three quick wickets in just seven balls, allowing a measly three runs. Phenomenal.
Rating: 8

Graham McDonnell
An excellent outing with the bat as McDonnell took it upon himself to ensure victory. Scored 35 runs not out, including one four and a stunning six. Forged a lovely partnership with Stirling, which gained Ireland their first victory.
Rating: 8

Stuart Poynter
Five runs from five balls in five minutes, SW Poynter had a nice short inning with the bat, but held his nerve when needed. His two catches (particularly for Saleem) were also essential to Ireland's victory.
Rating: 7

George Dockrell
Did not bat, but got the full ten overs with the ball. Allowed just 34 runs, taking one wicket. This was a decent outing from Dockrell, keeping the run rate down as well as taking out the threat of Sewdial.
Rating: 7

Adrian D'Arcy
Did not bat and did not bowl. it's hard to give D'Arcy any kind of rating, as he featured in no game-changing plays, and was not noticiable for the majority of the game.
Rating: 5

Jordan Coghlan
Bowled eight overs, and spent no time batting. Took no wickets, but allowed 44 runs. Will have to try to allow less runs in the next game against Zimbabwe.
Rating: 6

Craig Young
Obviously did not bat, but was very strong with the ball. Allowed too many runs: 50, but his three wickets in nine overs greatly helped the Irish attempt. His five wides is a cause for concern however.
Rating: 6

Match Report: Ireland Under-19s vs USA U-19s

IRL vs USA

Ireland played their last Group B game at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup last night against rivals USA, who had beaten the Irish youth side just a few weeks previous. This time, the men in green came out victorious, to finish third in Group B with 2 points.

USA won the toss and chose to bat first. They started well, with opener Steven Taylor scoring 57 before being bowled by a back-on-form Andrew Balbirnie, who bowled his best game of the tournament. Strong batting from Gregory Sewidal and Saqib Saleem put America in a comfortable position, but after Ryan Corns was run out on 31, the US charge was halted. Saleem hung on for a while longer, but no other American batsman made double figures. They were all out for 217 after 48.1 overs.

This was made possible by an inspirational seven balls from Lee Nelson, who took three wickets and allowed only three runs to finish up the match. Craig Young also took three wickets, with Balbirnie, George Dockrell, and Paul Stirling all picking up one a piece.

While Balbirnie may have been potent with the ball, his final outing of the tournament was yet another poor inning with the bat. He made just 3 runs in 29 minutes, and was bowled lbw by Ahmad. Stuart Thompson and Paul Stirling made a fine partnership, with Thompson making a fine 27 runs. Stirling however, was the out and out man of the match, lasting over two hours, facing 104 balls, scoring 12 fours and a six, and posting a wonderful score of 114 runs. His partnerships with Ackland and Nelson didn't last as long, with Ackland scoring 16 and Nelson out for a duck. Ryan Corns was to thank for both wickets, but it was not enough for USA. Graham McDonnell finished off the match with Stuart Poynter, making 40 runs between them, and hitting the required target with 6 overs left.

Ireland will now move onto the Plate competition to determine the best team who didn't make it out of the group stage. They will play Zimbabwe in the first round.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

U19 Player Ratings vs Australia

Player ratings for Ireland's second Group B game at the 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup against Australia.

Andrew Balbirnie
Another below-expectations performance from the Ireland captain. Improved slightly with the bat, but will need to be scoring much more than 7 runs to make any sort of impact. Bowled ten overs, but took no wickets and allowed 52 runs. Disappointing.
Rating: 4

Stuart Thompson
Scored 19 runs off 55 balls, which was the highest score with the bat against Australia, but was still not enough. His strike rate should be significantly higher. Decent with the ball, only allowing 22 runs in 5 overs.
Rating: 6

Paul Stirling
A match to forget for the senior international, was bowled on his first ball and allowed 46 runs in 8 overs. Hopefully keeps his place against America, so can show his true ability.
Rating: 2

Ben Ackland
Ireland's best batsman of the tournament so far, scored only 11 against Australia, but that still proved to be the second highest score of any man in a green shirt.
Rating: 6

Lee Nelson
After his excellent performance against South Africa, Nelson suffered a horrendous lapse in concentration and was bowled on a single after just seven balls. Must do better.
Rating: 3

Graham McDonnell
A horrid innings from McDonnell, lasting three balls and scoring no runs. He ran out Floros, which was the only highlight of a terrible match for the batsman.
Rating: 2

Adrian D'Arcy
Scored 5 runs from 16 balls in his first game of the tournament. Thus, it's hard to tell if it was a good decision to have D'Arcy replace the injured James Shannon, who looks set to miss the final game on Tuesday.
Rating: 4

Stuart Poynter
After his splendid outing with the bat against South Africa, Poynter was under a lot of pressure having been put into bat with more than half the match remaining. had a high strike rate again, scoring 4 runs in 6 balls. His wicketkeeping was strong again, stumping Beaton.
Rating: 5

George Dockrell
Ireland's joint third highest scorer yesterday with 7 runs. Was stubborn at bat, lasting nearly half an hour, but it was too much to ask him to try and win the match single-handedly. Our best bowler by far, taking 2 wickets in 9 overs, and giving up just 38 runs.
Rating: 7

Jordan Coghlan
Replaced the poor Shane Getkate, and looked much better than his predecessor. Scored just two runs, but with the ball he took two superb wickets, allowing 62 runs in 10 overs. His run rate needs to be cut down, but the wicket-taking is very promising.
Rating: 6

Craig Young
The only Irish batsman not out against Australia, but did not get any time to make a name for himself. Scored no runs, but never had a chance to either. Had a poor time with the ball, giving up 54 runs in 8 overs, and must do better if he starts against America.
Rating: 3

Match Report: Ireland Under-19s vs Australia U-19s

Alex Keath

Ireland sadly slumped to their second defeat at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. The result was a resounding 209 run defeat to Australia. Australia are one of the favourites for the tournament, and on this evidence, they are surely contenders to go all the way to the final.

Ireland won the toss and chose to field first. We made two changes to the team which lost to South Africa, with middle-order bastman Adrian D'Arcy and bowler Jordan Coghlan coming into the side. Coghlan was quite impressive with the ball, taking out opener Nic Maddinson after 9.4 overs. However, the partnership of Tom Beaton and Alex Keath put Australia in the driving seat. Beaton scored his second half-century in a row, and Keath took a wonderful 88 in 111 balls before being bowled by Coghlan.

George Dockrell also took two wickets, his first ball stumping Beaton, and taking captain Mitchell Marsh for a duck. Jason Floros was run out, but Tim Armstrong and Kane Richardson could not be beaten, scoring 73 and 24 respectively.

Ireland were always chasing the result, but with Kane Richardson and Nick Buchanan bowling out of their skin, we never stood a chance. Balbirnie was lbwed in the second over, and his replacement, Paul Stirling was bowled on his first ball by Richardson. Ben Ackland and Stuart Thompson began to forge a partnership but Buchanand ended this in the thirteenth over. After Thompson was bowled by Richardson, the match steamrolled to its inevitable conclusion - no other Irishman got into double figures.

We finished with a score of 65 all out after 24.2 overs, and slumped to our second defeat of the competition. There is no chance of us making the final 8, and the third group game against USA will be a mere consolation match.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

U-19 Preview: Ireland vs Australia

Australia v USA

Ireland play their second Group B game at the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2010 tonight against Australia. The match starts at 9:30 p.m. our time, or 10:30 tomorrow local time in New Zealand.

It's going to be a tough match for our underage side, as Australia are coming off the back of a barnstorming 108 run win over USA. Australia scored 262 all out in 49.3 overs, with a run rate of 5.29. So if Ireland are going to overcome Australia, the bowlers will need to be on form, particularly against the opening duo of Nic Maddinson and Tom Beaton. Beaton scored an excellent 73 last night, and both formed a wonderful partnership of 82 before Maddinson was stumped.

Although Ireland lost to USA last year, they should be a much better opposition for the Aussies than the Americans proved. USA suffered horribly with the bat, and were 7-28 after less than 10 overs. The Australian bowling was strong all-round, but Josh Hazelwood and Adam Zampa are our main threats.

Our openers Balbirnie and Thompson will need to perform much better with the bat if we want to stand any chance of winning. Hopefully we can also win the toss and field early in a cool New Zealand morning. This is a must-win match, as if we lose, the USA game will only be a consolation.

Friday, January 15, 2010

U19 Player Ratings vs South Africa

Andrew Balbirnie
Not the best World Cup start from Ireland's captain. Only scored a single run from 24 balls. Was somewhat better bowling, taking 1-45 in 9 overs with one maiden, but would need higher scores at the bat, as well as a lower economy to shine at this tournament.
Rating: 6

Stuart Thompson
A fantastic day bowling for Thompson, taking 2 wickets for the 29 runs he gave up. His batting was below par however, only hitting six from fifteen. He did hit one boundary though, so hopefully that's a good sign for games to come.
Rating: 7

Paul Stirling
A lot is expected of Stirling at this World Cup, and he performed admirably in his first game. He scored a quick 19 in 29 balls, hitting three fours. But his bowling was even better. He took 2 wickets in 10 overs, allowing 42 runs.
Rating: 8

James Shannon
A hugely disappointing match for Shannon. There's so much better to come from him in the next two games, but unfortunately he scored a single run in the opening match. He stayed around for only 17 balls. He did however field somewhat better, catching Nofal.
Rating: 3

Ben Ackland
Ireland's standout performer with the bat yesterday, hitting a wonderful 66. Lasted 107 balls, and hit four boundaries. If he can keep up this pace throughout, he could well be our player of the tournament.
Rating: 8

Lee Nelson
Forged a wonderful partnership with Ackland, scoring 55 in 75 balls. Hit four fours and a six, and ended with a strike rate of 73.33. He solitary over with the ball wasn't great, allowing 9 runs. Luckily he's so good with the bat.
Rating: 8

Graham McDonnell
A marvellous 24 not out from 21 balls, McDonnell batted superbly to dramatically increase the RRR for South Africa. His partnership with Poynter was splendid.
Rating: 8

Stuart Poynter
Had a strike rate of 178.57 at the match's end. In 14 balls, he hit a fantastic 25. This included one glorious 6. Also caight Richards behind the wicket. My man of the match.
Rating: 9

Shane Getkate
Bowled just four overs, giving away 36 runs, it was a below average performance from the bowler. There's better to come. Hopefully.
Rating: 3

Craig Young
Economy-wise, Ireland's best bowler yesterday. gave just 15 runs in 4 overs, ending with an economy of 3.75. Pity he didn't take any wickets.
Rating: 7

George Dockrell
Bowled 9 overs, giving up 43 runs, this was a decent start to the tournament from Dockrell in his first World Cup game. Expect wickets to fall in the next two games.
Rating: 7

Match Report: Ireland Under-19s vs South Africa U-19s

Lee Nelson

Ireland opened their ICC Under-19s World Cup 2010 with a loss last night (morning local time in New Zealand). The underdogs from the outset, Ireland suffered an early batting collapse and lost to South Africa by five wickets.

South Africa won the toss and elected to field. Opening batsmen Stuart Thompson and captain Andrew Balbirnie did not have the best of nights. Thompson was bowled after 6 runs from 15 balls, but even worse was Balbirnie's single after 24 balls. Rabian Engelbrecht was the bowler for both wickets, with Stephen Smith catching Balbirnie's attempted hook.

Senior international Paul Stirling slowed things down and vastly improved the situation for Ireland with an excellent 19 from 29 balls. In form James Shannon sadly only hit 1 off 17, and Ireland were severely under pressure.

However, the partnership of Ben Ackland and Lee Nelson brought the score up to 153 before Nelson was caught for 55. Ackland was the star of the innings with a masterful 66 in 107 balls. Nelson scored four fours and a six to end with a fantastic strike rate of 73.33.

The following two batsmen, Graham McDonnell and Stuart Poynter stayed in for the remaining five overs, and scored 24 not out and 25 not out respectively. This set South Africa a target of 217 in 50 overs.

However, it only took South Africa 43.4 of those alloted overs to meet the target and win by 5 wickets. Stephen Smith was their star man with an unbeaten 67. Dominic Hendricks hit 47 and Malcolm Nofal scored 32 as South Africa powered to victory.

On the bowling side, our own Thompson and Stirling both took two wickets. Thompson scoring 2-29 and Stirling 2-42. Balbirnie took the only other wicket off his 45 runs in 9 overs.

Ireland have a -0.718 runrate after one game, which is something we can definitely overcome. Our next game is against Australia on Sunday, with USA our opponents in the final match.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Boyd Rankin pulls out injured, Nigel Jones called up

Nigel Jones

Irish opening bowler Boyd Rankin has had to pull out of Ireland's upcoming games in Sri Lanka. He has been replaced in the squad by CSNI's Nigel Jones, who has played two previous games for the senior side.

Rankin had this to say about his injury: "I’ve been diagnosed with a stress reaction in my right foot, and am wearing a protective cast. It’s not broken but it needs to be rested for four or five days. It was picked up by the physios and doctors at an ECB training camp in Loughborough earlier this week. We’ll see where we are then depending on how sore it is. I’ve been told it could take between two or three weeks to fully heal, but we’ll know more when I get it checked out again next week at Warwickshire, where I’ll be doing my rehabilitation."

Coach Phil Simmons said: "Nigel’s a talented player who is a useful bowler and a very talented batsman. He’ll come in for the Sri Lanka leg of the tour. We’ll not make a decision on the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers until we get an update on Boyd’s fitness."

Cricket Ireland reward players with full time contracts

Trent Johnson

In order to help our World Cup 2011 campaign, Cricket Ireland have awarded six full contracts to their players. This will allow them to focus on cricket full-time, as well as stopping England from poaching more of our best stars. Alex Cusack, Andre Botha, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Paul Stirling and Trent Johnston were chosen to get 'A' contract funding.

Four other players were awarded 'B' contracts: William Porterfield, Niall O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, and Andrew White. Cricket Ireland has been supported by government grants and sponsorship.

Head coach Phil Simmons said "We all saw just how much Trent and Alex improved last year with being able to commit all their focus to full-time cricket. It gives the players peace and security, and lets them concentrate their efforts. It is another step forward for Irish cricket, and shows just how serious we are in our intentions. It will stand us in good stead as we prepare for the next intensive 15 months of cricket in the lead up to the World Cup."

Player Profiles: Ireland Under 19s

With the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2010 kicking off tonight (tomorrow New Zealand time), what better time than now to profile the Irish players involved. Many of these could be future stars for the country with the full team, and one of them, Paul Stirling, has already kitted out for full international honours at senior level.

Ben Ackland
BJ Ackland was born on October 26th, 1989 in Nuneaton in England, but has gone on to represent Ireland from Under-13 level upwards. He has also played in the Somerset Second XI and is a batting all-rounder. He has an offbreak bowling style, and has played for Ireland in both the Under-17 and Under-19 European Championships. He hit 47 against the Netherlands in the U-19 Europeans, so hopefully his form can carry over to the World Cup.


Andrew Balbirnie
Born on December 28th, 1990, Dubliner Balbirnie is the current captain of the Ireland Under-19s side. A right-handed batsman who can also be called into bowl if necessary, he scored 294 runs in the qualifiers including a century against Afghanistan. As well as bowling offspin, he also keeps wicket. A definite one to watch at the World Cup, and could be one of Ireland's best players.


Jordan Coghlan
Jordan Coughlan is a very promising all-rounder, who has moved up the underage levels, playing at U-15 and U-17 level before moving up to the Under-19s. Born in Dublin on October 30th, 1992, he is a strong right-arm medium bowler, and bowled 2-14 against Guernsey in last year's Under-17 European Championships.


Adrian D'Arcy
Coming from a strong cricketing family, Adrian D'Arcy is one of three brothers to represent Ireland at underage level. Born on December 10th, 1990 in Dublin, he plays for his local side Clontarf, and scored an unbeaten century against Malahide in 2008, an achievement which he ranks as his finest to date. Hopefully the left-handed batsman can outdo himself at the World Cup this month.


George Dockrell
An excellent left-arm spinner, Dubliner George Dockrell could be one of Ireland's best bowlers at this year's World Cup. Born on the 22nd of July, 1992, he's one of the youngest members of the squad. However, with scores like his 6-19 against Hong Kong in qualification, there is no doubting his talent.



Shane Getkate
Born in South Africa on October 2nd, 1991, SC Getkate comes from great stock. His grandfather Robert Getkate played for Natal Districts, he has played for Ireland at U-13 level upwards, as well as kitting out for the Malahide senior team. He's a right arm fast bowler, but can also score a few quick runs if called upon.


Graeme McCarter
A native of Derry, Graeme McCarter was born on October 10th, 1992. He has represented the Gloucestershire 2nd XI as well as Ireland at various underage levels. The right-arm fast bowler's finest hour came last year when he took 3-26 against Denmark in the U-19 European Championships.


Graham McDonnell
Born October 20th, 1990, Dubliner Graham McDonnell has followed in the footsteps of his brother Stuart by representing Ireland at underage level. He's a right-arm medium paced bowler, but is also a strong late batsman, hitting a 74 off 38 against Vanuatu in qualifiers.


Lee Nelson
Ulsterman Lee Nelson comes from fantastic cricket stock. His father Alan, and uncle Noel both played at senior level for Ireland. Born December 5th, 1990 in Craigavon, Nelson is a veteran of the ICC U-19 World Cup, having represented Ireland at the same competition in 2008. He's a fantastic right-handed off-break bowler, and took 4-30 off Vanuatu in qualification.


Stuart Poynter
SW Poynter will keep wicket for Ireland at the World Cup. Born October 18th, 1990 in London, he is the younger brother of Andrew, who has also represented Ireland at this level.


Eddie Richardson
Louthman EJ Richardson was born on July 22nd, 1990, and is a cousin of full internationals John and Paul Mooney. A good all-rounder, he has represented Ireland from Under-13 level upwards.


James Shannon
Middle-order batsman JNK Shannon was born in Belfast on February 12th, 1990. He's an excellent right-hander, and showed great composure in the 2007 Under-17 European Championships scoring 38 against Denmark, 86 against Scotland, and a whopping 114 against Netherlands. He also scored an unbeaten half-century against Hong Kong in World Cup 2010 qualifiers.


Paul Stirling
Already a full Ireland international, PR Stirling is an essential part of the under-19 team. Born in Belfast on September 3rd, 1990 he has quickly moved up the ranks of Irish cricket. An amazing right-handed batting prospect, his highlight to date was a 30 off 26 balls in a senior ODI against England. He also scored 164 against Vanuatu and a 117 against Netherlands in qualifying.


Stuart Thompson
SR Thompson was born in Derry on August 25th, 1991. He's the son of Ireland senior cricketer Neil Thompson, and is a great left-handed batsman. In qualifying, he hit a marvellous 67 in 103 balls against Uganda.


Craig Young
All-rounder CA Young is another Derry-born cricketer in Ireland's Under-19 World Cup squad. Born April 4th, 1990, he's as proficient with the bat but it's with the ball that he really shines. He had an excellent European Championships last year at under-17 level, including a standout performance of 5-22 against Guernsey. One of the outstanding players in qualifying, he had an excellent 4-46 against Vanuatu. Definitely a key to Ireland's success.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

ICC Under-19 World Cup 2010 Preview

ICC Under-19 World Cup 2010 logo

For many people there may be only one World Cup in 2010, but for us Cricket fans, there's plenty more. The first up is the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup which takes place in New Zealand.

The opening game takes place this Thursday at 21:30 GMT between Afghanistan and India. At the same time, Ireland take on South Africa at the Queenstown Events Centre in Group B. There's also two other games taking place around the country too (One in each group).

The Groups are made up as follows:

Group A
India
England
Afghanistan
Hong Kong

Group B
South Africa
Ireland
Australia
USA

Group C
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Canada

Group D
Pakistan
Bangladesh
West Indies
Papau New Guinea

Andrew Balbirnie

The tournament could well produce many stars of the future, with numerous teams having their own "Ones to Watch". The Under-19 World Cup has previously unearthed players like Andrew Symonds, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shoaib Malik, and Shahid Afridi. Keep an eye out this time for Matthew Dunn and Azeem Rafiq of England, as well as our own Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling. The Indian and West Indies captains Ashok Menaria and Andre Creary are also great prospects. Australia, who are one of our main rivals in Group B have their own breakout star in the excellent 18 year old Mitchell Marsh.

IRELAND SQUAD
Andrew Balbirnie (c)
Adrian D'Arcy
Ben Ackland
Craig Young
Eddie Richardson
George Dockrell
Graeme McCarter
Graham McDonnell
James Shannon
Jordan Coghlan
Lee Nelson
Paul Stirling (vc)
Shane Getkate
Stuart Poynter
Stuart Thompson

I'll be providing reports on all our games, so make sure to come back over the coming weeks to see how our boys get on.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Ireland - Afghanistan Intercontinental Match Rescheduled



The Ireland versus Afghanistan ICC Intercontinental Cup match due to take place from the 24th to the 26th of January in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, has been moved forward by two days due to a clash with the Sri Lankan Presidental Elections

The match will now be played from the 21th to 24th of January. According to the ICC "Sri Lanka Cricket requested the move for reasons of security and logistics."

The venue for the match has not been changed.

Jeremy Bray Retires from International Cricket

Jeremy Bray

Left-handed opening Batsman Jeremy Bray has announced his immediate retirement from the Irish National Cricket Team. No longer will we see JP Bray open the batting order for Ireland, whether it be One Day Internationals or Test Matches.

The Australian born thirty six year old had this to say: "I'm not getting any younger, and it's hard to get up to the levels of fitness now required for international cricket. The team has an incredibly demanding schedule over the next few years, and I couldn't commit myself fully to that programme.

"I have had some wonderful memories and will always be grateul to Ireland for giving me the opportunity. I'd like to thank Adi Birrell for the faith he showed in me, and Phil Simmons for giving me the chance to make a comeback after being out of the side for two years.

"The Irish fans are superb, and I'll never forget the atmosphere of the World Cup in the West Indies."

Bray made his Irish ODI debut on June 13th 2006 and went on to play 83 games in total for his national side. On his debut against England, he hit 22 off 29 balls, which included 3 fours as he opened the batting with Dom Joyce (brother of Ed Joyce, who fielded for the opponents on that day). Joyce was out for a duck, but Bray combined with Andre Botha for a partnership of fifty in just under eleven overs.

He represented New South Wales and the Australian underage sides before moving to Ireland, where he quickly joined the Ireland A Team.

In his fifteen ODIs, he scored 401 runs (a 28.64 batting average), and had highs of 116 and 115 not out. He made the 116 against Scotland in Nairobi at the ICC World Cricket League 2007. The 115 not out was a much more impressive feat, against Zimbabwe in a tied game at the 2007 World Cup.

Bray forged a fantastic opening partnership with William Porterfield, but it was with Niall O'Brien that he forged a 304 against UAE, the second highest partnership in Irish Cricket.

His finest hour came alongside WTS Porterfield in 2007, as the duo made 202 (146 by Bray), as Ireland lifted the Intercontinental Cup with a victory over Canada.