SPECIALS – Top five World Cup performances by Irish batsmen

Ireland took the cricket world by storm with their giant-killing feats in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups. Victories over Test nations such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and England made the plucky Irishmen household names in the cricketing fraternity. As the 2015 edition beckons, there are similar expectations from the leading Associate nation to make […]

Record Book – Yuvraj Singh’s unique World Cup double

Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s most exciting limited-overs players, will not be seen in the 2015 World Cup. However, in the previous edition in 2011, he was the star of India’s winning campaign as his all-round skills played a vital role at various junctures. The value he brought to the team with his […]

VIEWPOINT – Ireland can pack a serious punch Down Under

Ireland have named their 15-man squad for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand next month. The squad will be the same as the one which is currently in the United Arab Emirates for a triangular series with Afghanistan and Scotland. A look at the squad […]

IN FOCUS – Finally some international cricket for Ireland

It is a quite a shame that Ireland’s upcoming three home one-day internationals against Scotland at Malahide (Dublin) are their only ones scheduled before the World Cup, which is still five months away. Ireland’s most recent ODI was back in May, and before that, in February. The matches are set to be played […]

Specials – Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth moment

Cricket has been part of the Commonwealth Games only once, i.e in 1998 in Kuala Lampur, the Malaysian capital. Sixteen countries took part in the event, consisting of 50-over-a-side List A matches. Among the teams was Northern Ireland, who qualified by virtue of being a Commonwealth nation. The Ireland cricket team has always been […]

Viewpoint – The Munster question

My friends know I have a fridge magnet at home, bearing the legend, ‘ Everyone is entitled to my opinion.’ So when Rustom invited me to do a piece on Irish cricket… I didn’t take a great deal of persuading. You need a few bits of background about me to get the drift […]

Record Book – Ireland’s very first win against a Test nation

As Ireland continues with its struggle to break the ICC glass ceiling in order to attain Test status, it is pertinent to note that the Irish team’s very first win over a Test nation came way back in 1904. When one talks of great Irish wins, Sion Mills, 1969; Kingston, 2007 and Bangalore, […]

IN FOCUS – Seven years on, another must-win game on St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day holds great significance in the delightful story of Ireland’s spirited surge to the top of the Associate ladder. Back in 2007, the Irish team, a bunch of amateurs led by Trent Johnston, arrived at Sabina Park at Kingston, Jamaica to contest in the World Cup for the first time. In their […]

Specials – Ireland’s best T20 wins

Even though T20 is a fickle format and much dependent on luck, the forthcoming T20 World Cup in Bangladesh is as important a tournament as any for the six Associates who will have to undergo qualifying in order to reach the main round. For Ireland, this tournament assumes even more importance as they […]

IN FOCUS – A tricky Caribbean challenge awaits for Ireland

The Ireland cricket team, in spite of its continually outstanding performances at the Associate level, plays a ridiculously few number of internationals against top teams. Tours to Test nations have been even rarer. In a few days time however, Ireland are set to play the West Indies in two T20 internationals (on 19th and […]