Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 5

The 16-team format used for the 2007 World Cup proved to be short-lived, as the tournament reverted to a two-group structure of 14 teams (as was the case in 2003, but with quarterfinals instead of the Super Six) for the next two editions. In this final part of our series on Associates at the […]

Review – 2018 Test cricket recap

The final day of the Melbourne Test, which saw India seal a resounding 137-run win, was the last piece of action in what was a riveting year for Test cricket. The Test family grew by two teams in 2018, as Ireland and Afghanistan made their debuts against Pakistan and India respectively. In a refreshing […]

Record Book – Batting firsts for each Test nation

Kevin O’Brien became the first Irish cricketer to score a Test century, at Malahide yesterday, and his 118 has given Ireland a fighting chance in their inaugural Test against Pakistan. Earlier in the innings, O’Brien had also become the first Irishman to score a Test fifty. Here is a look at the batting firsts […]

Specials – The best from Kevin O’Brien’s blade

Talismanic Irishman Kevin O’Brien became the first cricketer from his country to feature in 100 ODI matches, when he took the field in the final game of the series against Afghanistan at Belfast last week. The Dublin-born all-rounder has been one of the lynchpins of the Irish team over the past decade. O’Brien, who […]

In Focus – Ireland’s ODI journey completes ten years

13th June marks a decade since Ireland played its first full One-Day International match. Led by Trent Johnston, the boys in green took on England at the scenic Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast in 2006 and in spite of defeat, displayed spirit and enthusiasm that would typify their performances in the years to […]

In Focus – Five Irishmen to watch out for in the World T20

Almost two years have passed since Ireland’s scarcely-believable ouster from the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, when they ran into a desperately hungry Dutch outfit at Sylhet. It would not be an overstatement to say that this knockout punch had, at least for a few moments, left the Irish players as well as […]

SPECIALS – The greatest World Cup matches, Part 2

Continuing from Part 1 of this two-part post, let us look at five more great matches in the history of the World Cup that left many a viewer enthralled. Australia v West Indies, Final, Lord’s, 1975 The final of the inaugural World Cup was akin to a drama full of twists and turns. […]

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 […]

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 […]