The Ireland allroundertakes us through the build up to the 2007 World Cup, with Ireland playing in South Africa and then the World Cricket League tournament in Nairobi. Then they were off to the Caribbean for the World Cup itself.
With all the Christmas and New Year festivities over for another year, it was a hectic last few days at home before stepping on the plane Africa bound on Sunday 7th.
Friday 5th saw our last fitness session on home soil and it ends a rigorous four months of preparation. There is no doubt that our full time training, thanks to the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, Fitness First with our personal trainer Andy Lavery and the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland (SINI), has given us the opportunity to depart for foreign shores better prepared than ever before. Every area was covered including eye training with vision experts Sportsvision International. The need for a change of scenery, however, is in great demand.
Despite many attempts before to pack bags for an Ireland tour, it has never proved such a challenge to keep to the stringent weight restrictions put in place by the airlines. Mum played a pivotal role in preparing me for the journey, with training gear and clothes washed and ironed at my last minute requests on Saturday evening. Our One Day International games in Kenya are all played in coloured clothing and our four day game in Dubai in 'whites' so we have had to send the latter by freight and hope that when we get there mid February its at the hotel–I'm always a bit nervous of such arrangements!
Of all mornings to sleep in, Sunday morning wasn't it and so with twenty minutes to get out of bed, showered, dressed and to the City Airport it was a major rush and as is commonplace the feeling of forgetting something is forefront in the mind. To date though I have yet to find out what it is! The northern contingent of the Ireland squad flew from Belfast meeting up with the southern players in London but with no help whatsoever from BMI we managed to amass an Irish Cricket Union bill of £640 in excess baggage. Thankfully yours truly passed the 'weigh in' test.
While dreading the long flight to Johannesburg on Sunday evening I received a much welcome bonus on boarding. For some unknown reason and much to the dismay of my team mates I was upgraded, so with a spring in the step, skipped up the stairs of the plane only for a moments pause to turn round, wave to them and wish all a safe flight.
Many hours later, and after catching the connecting two hour flight to Port Elizabeth on the southern coast, it was off to our destination for the next few days - Amakhala Game Reserve. This gave us the chance to get the journey out of our systems and get acclimatised to the heat before some intense training from Tuesday onwards. Having the opportunity to view the wildlife on offer in South Africa is a treat. We set off in two land rovers obviously hoping that there would be sightings of everything the vast open planes before us had to offer. No sooner had we turned the first corner and we were heading in the direction of the dominant rhino and it's young.
This was followed by giraffes, springbok, impala, hemsbok, monkeys, jackals, warthogs, zebra, wilderbeasts and the herd of elephants. We managed to get right in amongst the elephants territory after approaching it from several unsuccessful angles. Never once did we feel in any danger until near the end. Then we were given the impression we had over stayed our welcome as one of the elephants turned in anger, literally yards away, threw its head and trunk in the air and released the loudest trumpet imaginable. Players ended up on top of each other such was the fright from the sudden outburst. It was a stunning sight and one that made us wholly aware of the unpredictable behaviours of these wild animals.
Tuesday morning saw an early rise at 6am but as you can imagine its not the dark cold Newtownards mornings we are dealing with now so it was not as hard as it sounds. Breakfast followed by a cruise up Bushman's river gave the boys the opportunity to have an early morning dip–thankfully no crocodiles were seen. Back to base and a great lunch before the first bout of fitness which was up and down hill after hill and it's fair to say the heat will play a major factor for us. Hands are bruised from catching over a hundred balls as we made the most of our surroundings at the game lodge to make sure our cricket skills are up to standard.
Tonight (Tuesday) sees us back on the reserve in an attempt to track down the lions and cheetahs–after the run in with Nellie the Elephant I will be asking our ranger to kindly pack the rifle in the land rover before we are joined in it by unwelcome visitors! Then our thoughts will again turn professionally to fitness and cricket.
I signed off last week just before our final game drive of our two days based in Amakhala Game Reserve. Our mission that evening was to spot a lion. For two fruitless hours we drove, along with four other landrovers and their rangers, looking under every decent sized bush in the northern territory. However, as we were leaving, a male lion was spotted in the long grass and what a magnificent sight it was. He watched our every move and sat as if he was king. I asked our ranger what my chances were of making it from one vehicle to the other–only twenty yards away. His response–'you wouldn't make it half way'! Enough said. Dinner that night was in the form of a traditional South African bouma where the head chefs were aptly named Blessed and Takemore!
Wakening on Wednesday 10th morning at 6.30am I didn't feel rested at all and the bright sunlight didn't help a bleary eyed Mr White! Again we made the most of the open areas in the game lodge, so it was another hundred plus catches and on top of yesterdays catches the hands are hardening up nicely. The aim of this is to make sure that the hard ball will bruise our hands less and less as time goes on. The boys are delighted to get outside in the sun rather than an indoor session in North Dublin. Fitness levels were stepped up a notch repeating the hill challenges of the previous day and then straight into team sprints. At times I feel 46 rather than 26. It doesn't help when your lungs are burning that there is the added annoyance of sun cream running into your eyes. Lesson for the day- -never put suncream on your forehead!
Thankfully our fitness is enjoyable - we have divided ourselves into three teams with a points system for different victories awarded. This keeps a competitive edge to proceedings. Having bode farewell to the staff of the game lodge it was off down the road to the family homes of our South African coach, Adrian Birrell. Adi has been the Ireland coach for 5 years and ever since his first few days in the job he had two aims–to take Ireland to the World Cup and to take us 'home'. We are being very kindly looked after by his mum, sister and family–all 18 of us! With the afternoon off it was down to Kareiga River and my first attempt at water skiing. Initial thoughts of doing the water jumps were set aside when I found getting up onto two feet a challenge in itself!
Following a South African braii on Wednesday evening it all turned a bit sour as seven of the squad, including myself, fell ill with a bug. A very uncomfortable night saw those in question bed bound for most of Thursday as the rest of the squad trained for several hours in heat reaching 35C. This was the first opportunity of the year for the bowlers to get a ball in their hands outdoors and for the batsmen to get a hit. My opportunity to blow the cobwebs away on this front had to wait until Sunday. A dip in the sea along with the fresh air in the evening did me a power of good.
Thankfully, we all recovered sufficiently for our eagerly anticipated Golf Day with invited South African guests at Royal Port Alfred Golf Club. Nine Irish pairings set out against the South Africans and came back many hours later with only one win to our country thanks to Paul Mooney and Kenny Carroll. Messrs White and Kyle McCallan found every excuse in the book for our defeat by two golfing 'bandits'! The highlight of the day was definitely having a caddie to find your ball in the snake ridden long grass and to carry our clubs. A great team building exercise was thoroughly enjoyed and debate on golfing skills followed long into the night.
Saturday morning saw a training session at St Andrew's school in Grahamstown, 45mins drive from Port Elizabeth. It allowed us to get hitting balls and work on a few technical areas of batting before our longer session the next day. For me this was an important exercise as it gave me a first opportunity outdoors to get my feet moving and feel bat on ball. Despite the high element of rustiness, the mind was in gear and I am working as hard as I can to get as much out of every session before our games start.
Back to base and straight to the beach for our fitness and what can only be described as hateful. Running up sand dunes is not fun, especially when they are like tiny mountains–half an hour we endured going from steep dunes to a real 'Mount Everest' at the end. The fact that I crawled to the top on the last one was no exaggeration. Not to worry, we soldiered on and live to fight another day. We were treated to another three hour game drive at night and like Amakhala Game Reserve, Kariega didn't disappoint with more wonderful sights and sounds.
Sunday was designed as a 'middle practice'. This is used to put the players in game situations both on the batting, bowling and fielding fronts. It was great to get some miles in the legs by fielding for up to three hours. As a team we pride ourselves on our fielding as it is an area of the game that you can compete with the best in the world on. I batted for 40 mins in the match situation and was happy that it only took those few hours on Saturday to get me back into the swing of things. I bowled a lot of overs as well and more of this is needed just to get into some kind of rhythm. More beach running in the evening but thankfully along the flat which was some consolation.
Back to St Andrews on Monday morning and another chance to hone our skills in the nets as we hit balls in pairs for a couple of hours, followed up by an intense fielding session. This is by far the best Ireland side I have been involved with from a fielding point of view and it is a challenge to keep your own skills up to the levels of others as the young lads keep raising the bar.. Afternoon off was most welcome, so down to the beach–but this time to lie there!
Tuesday 16th, back on the road as we moved down town and to our next base closer towards the centre of Port Elizabeth at Bishops Lodge.
Last Tuesday (16th Jan) the Ireland squad made the 150km journey from Bushman's to Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth is also known as the 'Windy City' and it was to high winds and sunshine we made our arrival. It brings back happy memories of my ten week stint spent in the town five years ago at an International Academy which helped kick start my Ireland career and more. Our accommodation for this part of the tour is Bishops Lodge which is a small hotel with adequate rooms; after all it has become very obvious we will be doing nothing other than sleeping there!
The first training session at our base, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, was an indication of what lies ahead for the next week or so. The squads four hour net session was to allow the bowlers to bowl and bowl and bowl and the batsmen to bat and bat and bat. Our bodies need to get used to the physical side of the game again and it's a bit like Tiger Woods on the practice range–you only get better by honing your skills time after time. We need to have bowled and hit enough balls so that when we play Scotland on the 31st January in Nairobi in the World League, a lack of preparation will not be an excuse. My body felt as though it was falling apart after the session in the nets but we were not finished there as we moved on to fielding practice which again focused on diving catches and stops, goalkeeping style. Day done and it was off to find the physio!
We have been joined in Port Elizabeth by Ireland assistant coach Matt Dwyer and ex England fast bowler and former Ireland coach Mike Hendrick. Mike is here to work with the bowlers and afterwards he said that 'you cannot learn how to bowl from a book, nor can you learn how to bowl from being told. You learn by going into the nets and bowling and bowling and bowling'! Guess what was on Wednesday's agenda!
We arrived at the university grounds on Wednesday morning to find that the groundsmen had watered the pitches. So, with coach Adrian Birrell being the provinces favourite son, having coached in Eastern Province for half his lifetime, a few phone calls later and we were training at St Georges Park – the provinces Test venue. Pakistan were in town to play South Africa in the second Test Match of their series so we were allowed to follow Pakistan after they had finished using the facilities and of course a first chance to rub shoulders with one of our World Cup opponents in March. It was extremely disappointing to see Shoiab Akhtar lurking around the Pakistan squad. The fastest bowler in world cricket at 95 mph plus was banned a few months ago for the use of a banned substance. The decision to overturn this decision means that he is back and raring to go.
Our net session went well, the bowlers went through their paces again and despite a few batting technical faults of my own, which I will continue to try and iron out ahead of next weeks warm up games I am happy enough with the progress I am making. Little niggles are affecting my morale at present; a groin strain, a ligament niggle in my elbow and a long standing finger problem all causing a bit of concern. It is often a fine line between doing further damage and continuing through the pain barrier but I am keen to stay ahead of the game so the physio will be hard at work over the next few days.
Thursday 19th was as expected more of the same however, we probably had the hottest day since our arrival in Port Elizabeth. Despite this, the boys have trained without a moan or a groan and the dedication is in abundance as we have now accepted the fact that this is our job and we cannot afford to take our eyes off the ball for a minute. We have been informed off the inclement weather back home currently, so our captain Trent Johnston decided to spare a thought for you all by running in to bowl with his shirt off but with a woolly hat on! Coach was delighted with our efforts so much so that the afternoon off was granted and it was down to the beach for a few of us to relax in the sea. An afternoon nap wasn't missed either to recharge the batteries!
Friday was another long day in the nets as we continued to put our bodies through the mill. In saying this I am wakening up in the mornings without the same aches and pains which is important and underlines the fact that we are being managed correctly by the coaches and physio. Everyone has different aspects of their games to work on and such is the unity in the squad there is plenty of encouragement and support when things are going well or not so for each other. It's very important when away from family and friends that consideration is taken of each others needs and we are winning on this front.
Our first day off in quite a while was granted on Saturday and this coincided nicely with our corporate box invite to the South Africa v Pakistan Test Match. Certainly it was good to get a first hand look at what we can expect in the Caribbean and one thing is for sure– its world class. Eastern Province Cricket has looked after us outstandingly well and we took a few of their officials out as we all gathered for a team meal in the evening. It turned out to be a late finish so straight to bed to prepare for another marathon training session the next day.
Sunday was just that as we had a 'middle practice' to try and simulate match situations. I feel I gain more out of these sessions as it's easier to get an idea of your progress than in net practice. I needed this from a confidence point of view and it was great to feel that perseverance in certain aspects of my game was paying off. Let's hope this trend continues into the week ahead and further. The day lasted from 9.30am to 5.30pm so it was with weariness that I climbed into bed at 8.30pm. The importance of recuperation can not be stressed enough during these long tough days. The collective attitude of the players has been first class and hopefully this will pay dividends come our time in Kenya.
Monday morning was a short, sharp and effective run through as we prepare for four warm up games in the next four days against different opposition from Eastern Province. These games will be crucial for all of us to try and find some form and confidence as we build up towards the World League in Kenya at the end of the month. Cricket more than most sports, especially at this level is played 80% in the head so confidence is everything and hopefully by the end of the week the hard work will be paying off. Afternoon off to rest and enjoy our last chance of sea and sand.
Last Tuesday saw our first match action of the tour with the first of four warm up games in as many days against Eastern Province opposition. These games were vital in our preparation for the World League starting in Nairobi on Tuesday 30th January.
Our first game was typical of a tour opener where batsmen struggled to adjust to match conditions for the first time since September, despite the hard work of the previous ten days. Although only scoring 130 we bowled extremely well to get eight of the opposition out as they scraped their way to victory. It was a reality check for us and a lesson that we must earn the right to win.
We played the same opposition the following day (Wednesday 24th), again at the University grounds. This time our batsmen put the wrongs of the previous day to right as we amassed 279 with Kenny Carroll scoring his first hundred for Ireland. I managed to get a bit of valuable time in the middle at the end to finish 11 not out. Chasing 280 to win was always going to be too big an ask for our opponents and so it proved.
We were entertained in the evening by Eastern Province Cricket who have really laid out the red carpet for us during our stay here. The Chief Executive described it as 'a special moment in their history to host us and it is great to see players playing International Cricket with a smile on their faces not only on the pitch but in all you do off it.' It's great to know that we are making people happy and our dinner on the playing surface at St Georges Park under the floodlights was testament of their warmth to us.
Our toughest game of the week was on Thursday in a day/night encounter at the Test Match venue of St Georges Park. Eastern Province scored a massive 304 in their allotted 50 overs. Our reply was magnificent as we batted extremely well, however with the winning line in sight, myself and John Mooney needed to score 12 off six balls. Five balls later I had to score one of the last ball but our attempted single resulted in a run out and the game was tied. This was easily one of the best games of cricket I have been involved in and lets just say it's a good job the game was only a 'friendly' because to get so close to a great win but only tie was a difficult pill to swallow.
I woke up early on Friday morning suffering from cramps so it was a case of refuelling with another two litres of water after the tough battle the night before. Friday's game was a comfortable victory for Ireland and with an efficient performance by all concerned meant that we left South Africa in confident mood feeling that our best is just around the corner.
We flew from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg for an over night stop before heading to Nairobi for our extremely important World League starting on Tuesday 30th January.
The World League is a round robin tournament involving the top 6 teams below Test Level. All six (Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Kenya, Canada and Bermuda) will compete in the greatest tournament of all – the World Cup in March but for each country the World League bears more importance in relation to their progression on the world stage. The top two qualify for the 20/20 World Championships in South Africa this September along with $250,000 in prize money – so important to allow the game to develop at grassroots level and beyond.
This is the fittest Ireland side to travel to foreign shores and hopefully this will stand us in good stead as everyone is raring to go against Scotland on Tuesday in our first game. This takes into concern, captain Trent Johnston, who despite having played through the pain of several breaks to a finger in his right hand over the last two years has been told it is now 'worthless' and at the end of his career will have the decision to make as to whether he keeps the finger or not!
P.S Lets hope we get through this leg of the trip in one piece as it was like whacky races through the capital last night where roundabouts are a free for all!
Nairobi, Kenya. This is a different world all together. Picture the scene–High Street, Newtownards with cars travelling in both directions at all angles, no lanes and add in a few thousand pedestrians for good measure. People seem to be risking life and limb to me but no doubt it is a calculated daily routine. One of the great things about being part of any Ireland squad is obviously the chance to travel the world and being in Nairobi once again makes us realise how fortunate we are at home and how easy it is to take things for granted.
Cricket is a cruel game at times and in our first World League game on Tue 30th January against Scotland we lost on the last ball of the match. It was undoubtedly my most disappointing result in 71 appearances. Room 1202 of the Hilton Hotel, where along with my room mate for all Ireland games, Kyle McCallan, was not a happy place to be as we relived the game and struggled to understand how we lost a game that we should have won. No family or friends to take your mind off matters either so the anguish lingered until Wednesday morning when we had to be up at 6.30am in preparation for the must win game against Bermuda. A phone call received from my girlfriend, Ydele, to say she bought new shoes and clothes at least made me realise that at some things you just have to laugh!
Every game became a cup final after our loss to Scotland and it was with a sense of relief that we saw off the challenge of Bermuda on Wednesday. Cricketers are often used to 'rain stop play', especially in Ireland, but we experienced a new one at 12.45pm. The mosque which overlooked the ground had its daily call for prayer, so as a mark of respect our game was halted for four minutes.
Thursday was a welcome day off, bar a couple of hours training in the morning which loosened out a few aching muscles and stiffness. After this it was back to the hotel room for sleep and along with Kyle McCallan we plotted a revenge attack for an incident in Port Elizabeth when our room key was stolen and room subsequently trashed by a couple of fellow players. The culprits are yet to be identified but going on past records this room pairing maintain on having the last laugh and will not be beaten–one of the alternative methods of team cohesion!
We went into our must win crunch game with Kenya (2003 World Cup Semi Finalists) in determined mood but what followed was almost too much to handle. The game in which we had so much control slipped away in the dying moments and meant we no longer had the chance to qualify for the Pro 20 World Championships in September. The changing room afterwards was silent with not a word for the next half hour and while different players deal with disappointment in different ways it was difficult as we passed the Nairobi slums on the way home not to try and keep sport in perspective.
Just when you think it cannot get any worse, we woke on Monday morning for our game with Canada to find as many as five players had been struck down with food poisoning. Paul Mooney and Boyd Rankin were forced to visit hospital but thankfully returned with no serious prognosis. The food has always been a concern for the players and many haven't ventured away from their hotel room service. The game was further disappointment for us as we failed to defend our top score of the week of 308. Our bowling is certainly the area we need to focus on over the next four weeks before we land on Caribbean shores.
Our last game yesterday against Holland rounded off, what was for many off us, a very difficult and disappointing week of cricket. Another game that went to the last ball and yet another game that we have failed to finish on the right side of the result. Answers will be found as to why.
We now move onto Dubai for our four day ICC Intercontinental Cup match versus the UAE. A win will see us progress to the final of this competition and go some way to relieving the pain of the last week. Will be glad to see the back of Kenya
Thankfully we managed to get a flight out of Kenya a day earlier than scheduled and it gave us a chance to draw a line under our disappointing tournament there. We have received quite a bit of bad press after it, most of which was understandable, but as usual there are plenty of people who seem to know better at times like this. It's always a case however, of taking it in your stride because as is often said 'you have to take the rough with the smooth!í
We flew into Dubai in the early hours of February 8th and after a few hours sleep we headed out to Sharjah for a training session. We were flat in body language and enthusiasm, partly due to the lack of sleep but probably mainly because of the toll the past week had taken out of us mentally. A stern word or two from coach, Adrian Birrell, had us back in the groove and in hindsight its moments like this that separate the best coaches from the rest. Then it was back to the hotel, check out and a two hour drive to Abu Dhabi where we were based for our four day ICC Intercontinental Cup game versus the United Arab Emirates. I am now sick of airport and hotel check ins. You might say 'well come and sit in my office for a few days and swap places' but it's not luxury the whole way and with so much baggage in the touring squad we have to be at airports hours before our flights.
The Arabs here love a spot of building and the number of tower blocks being built and that already exist is incredible. It's a safer place to be a visitor than in Kenya from the point of view that if the locals are caught stealing they get their hand chopped off! We went for a bit of entertainment on the ten pin bowling alleys prior to our first days play and again a master stroke as it was extremely competitive as we battled it out against each other. Just the ticket for getting us in the mood to hit the ground running the following morning.
It's been a testing week as many of the players' have at the back of their mind that we are home on the 15th–.does that mean we escape Valentine's Day?–great timing! However, this was a big game, as in effect it was a semi final and victory allowed us to continue to defend the same trophy we won in Namibia last year.
Thankfully our reaction to the previous week was positive as we played outstanding cricket from start to finish. Long standing Irish cricket records went by the wayside in the process, none other than Eoin Morgan scoring the highest individual score in the history of Irish cricket, 209 not out. Eoin is the batting star in our side and is capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in the World Cup.
We saw off the United Arab Emirates challenge by 3pm on the 3rd day's play which meant a day off for all concerned which was the perfect end to the tour. We now proceed to the Intercontinental Cup Final this summer. Needless to say the boys were keen to celebrate and it's amazing how long a week can be in sport. Can't wait to get home this week, enjoy home comforts and not have to put on sun cream after breakfast!
I have been home for five days now and its great to enjoy the home comforts we so often take for granted and catch up with family and friends. Thoughts have continually gone back over the last few days to the poverty I came across in areas of Kenya. It had to be seen to be believed as children begged on the streets, pulling at your clothes for attention. One wonders what future these children have. Our liaison officer who had only a small room which he called his house makes reading our property supplements hard to fathom.
For us there is no rest or relaxation as every day between now and departure for the World Cup in the West Indies is as vital as the one before. Every journey to Dublin for our training sessions feels more important than the last because we know that any lack of preparation will be shown up in bright lights in our group matches.
Added to our training there is the continual arrival of press and media, which will only grow in numbers as the days progress and no doubt they will get more demanding as well. We have various functions to attend throughout Ireland with special dignitaries and other commitments to satisfy the demands of the team sponsors.
This week sees the launch of a competition to come up with the perfect Irish cricket team anthem, and songwriters and performers have until Friday February 23, to get their entries in. The winner will walk away with a cheque for a 1000 Euro courtesy of Seamus Murphy/Murphy Environmental. nWorld Cup fever is getting into full swing across the world as well with all the teams selecting their final squads and its now beginning to sink in that we are about to enter a whole new world in a few weeks time. I don't think any of us can imagine the enormity of what lies ahead. Needless to say all the teams have differing goals for the tournament, England have beaten Australia in a few games lately and are now doing the usual English exercise of talking about the possibility of even winning the tournament! It wouldn't be sport if the English didn't set themselves up for another fall–who knows, just maybe for once they might be lucky. Ur call!
For the Ireland players this is an opportunity of a lifetime that lies ahead and we plan to savour every moment of it. Some players have only played a handful of games, others have played during Irish cricket's lowest times but we all have got to this stage with the help of many people. Besides family, Ards C.C where I played my first game as a 12 year old on the Comber Road, gave me the foundations on which to build and I continue to hold strong links with the members there. The importance of junior clubs in all sports cannot be underestimated and the talent throughout the Ards Borough in a wide range of sports is testament to this. This was backed up by seven great years at Regent House where cricket was held in high regard and Murray Lee and Eric Sinnamon were instrumental during my school days. North Down C.C followed for me and was the first step into senior cricket, proving to be a fruitful six years and saw important progression.
You can be sure that at some point during the action at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica my mind will roll back to those days at the Comber Road and where it all began.
Eighteen months have passed since Ireland secured their path to the World Cup. Only now is the realisation sinking in that for the first time Ireland will take their place on the world stage. Some of cricket's great names have stated recently that there should be no place at the World Cup for the smaller nations! How sad and narrow minded because how else is the game of cricket going to grow throughout the world if these countries are not given the exposure in which to demonstrate their talent and test themselves against the world's best. Cricket needs to develop beyond the 'Big Boys'. The impact the World Cup frenzy is having already in Ireland is incredible and the exposure which is to follow can only be good for grassroots cricket here.
It has been like Christmas all over again, a new suit that is trying its best to make us look handsome, bags and bags of training gear, playing shirts and casual clothing. Keeping an eye on your clothes is crucial but one thing is for sure - our big fast bowler Boyd Rankin, 6ft 8 and size 15 feet means he is one man that you know won't steal your clothes or shoes!
Well wishers have been plentiful, none less so that the Irish President, Mary McAleese who entertained the touring party, wives and girlfriends and those who work tirelessly for the good of Irish Cricket. It was a great afternoon spent in her residence and she was eager to state that 'you're going on a special lifetime experience, an experience that sees the culmination of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. You deserve to be there, the whole island is behind you and we know you will do us proud.í
Media requests continued this week with our Kukri World Cup kit launch and Bank of Ireland (main sponsors) receptions in both Dublin and Belfast. The boys are enjoying the lucrative side of professional sport but there is no doubt that the focus is on attacking our three group matches against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and the West Indies with the same style and aggression that has been evident throughout Adrian Birrell's five year reign in charge of Ireland. This will be his swansong as he retires from his coaching role of the team and no one deserves greater credit than the mastermind of Irish Crickets success.
We will go out on Thursday with a smile on our faces, play with a bigger smile and hopefully return with the biggest smile of all. We are after all going to take part in what can only be described by every player in the tournament as a schoolboy dream. The World Cup has since 1975 provided many of the finest memories in the game and launched the careers of many great players. As a young boy many hours were spent in the back garden with my brother Richard playing our own versions of such games, even my sister Alison was drafted in on a regular basis. Now all these years later the opportunity has arisen to become a part of this fantastic tournament for real. Over a thousand Irish supporters will leave the island in a couple of week's time and they, along with those left behind, can be assured that we won't let them down.
On Friday 2nd March we flew out of Gatwick airport with a great air of excitement and anticipation. This was probably the reason why the nine hour flight to Antigua seemed to pass quickly, helped with the luxury of business class of course! Although our final destination was Trinidad and Tobago we had the irritation of flying through Antigua and Barbados, however what followed made it hard to complain.
We were escorted off the runway, to the front of every queue, many of which were lengthy and there was soon the realisation that we are going to be treated like royalty. As we entered the terminal building there were camera flashes firing continually as our every move was watched with fascination. This continued on landing in Trinidad when we had a police escort at high speed to our hotel. Red traffic lights and roundabouts were no barrier and it meant our fifty minute journey was restricted to thirty minutes. We even had an ambulance behind us as well as a spare bus in case we had a break down.
The following morning was our first practice session and a chance to assess Caribbean conditions for the first time. Certainly the heat is going to play a huge factor as temperatures reached 35oC, which means we will need to monitor our liquid intake very closely. Temperatures in the high twenties are the norm at breakfast.
The locals are cricket crazy and they are well aware that the Irish are in town. It seems to be something about the Irish people because everyone is very keen to tell us about how they have Irish ancestry, and that in turn makes them 100% Irish! Walking through the shops and eating out has also brought entertaining moments, not least the group of girls who were not allowed into the restaurant to take photos unless they were dining–so they went home, changed clothes and returned only for the camera not to work!
We stopped off at Trinidad's test match venue, the Queens Park Oval to see how preparations were coming along for the group matches to be held here. We were aware that the playing areas were going to be small but Sabina Park, Jamaica where Ireland will play is supposedly smaller than this was. Not what I wanted to hear. At this level players can miss-hit balls out of the ground!
On Monday we played South Africa in our first warm up game, a side which have just overtaken Australia as the top ranked team in world cricket. It was imperative that we hit the ground running and gave a good account of ourselves as the cricket world and beyond are now watching our every move.
What transpired for 90% of the game was outstanding cricket–from Ireland! We bowled and fielded magnificently as the South African star studded batting line up was torn to shreds. We were set a target of 193 to win and it was only when we arguably had the game by the 'scruff of the neck' that their experience and class pulled South Africa through. Nonetheless, it was a massive confidence booster but just a shame that we didn't claim a prize scalp in this warm up fixture. It would certainly have marked our arrival in fine style.
The Ireland World Cup juggernaut moved from Trinidad to Jamaica on Friday having overcome the challenge of Canada with a convincing win in our last warm up game. nOur first port of call in Jamaica was Montego Bay, in the north west of the island in preparation for the opening ceremony on Sunday.
Although we made the most of limited training facilities we were left for a couple of days to recharge the batteries, so without too much persuasion we took to the golden beaches and clear blue waters for some relaxation. The reaction at home to some of the picture text messages of the scenes here have been priceless! We were encouraged to stay in the sun as much as possible so that we were not suffering from heat exhaustion when we play our games next week. The tennis courts were the most used facility as the competitive edge of many players came to the fore again. Personally, I was disappointed with my performances–It was out of season for my tennis!
Before reaching the purpose built Trelawny stadium for the 2007 Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony, we had a photo call at the impressive Ritz Carlton Hotel where all sixteen teams stood together. The opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with current cricket greats was a fantastic feeling and with a backdrop of the Caribbean Sea who could ask for more. The array of stylish team suits was impressive, not to mention some sunglasses that were worth a pound, or hundreds!
This opening ceremony was a spectacular showpiece that included everything that is great about cricket and the Caribbean culture. What made the event even more special was the massive Irish support, with over 1000 people making the long journey to share this experience with us.
It blended performances by West Indian popular artistes, vintage and contemporary, traditional and modern, to expose the depths of its cultural heritage. With a cast and crew of over 2000, the event which had been years in planning was outstanding. The highlight for us as players however, was obviously the parade of the participating teams. We followed England, with their stars, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen into the arena and as the spotlight fell, for all of us we had finally realised a dream and it was a case of stand tall, shoulders back and enjoy the moment. Needless to say, when the West Indies arrived on stage it was a case of 'let the party begin' as the local crowd raised the roof.
Possibly the greatest of all cricketing icons – the Rt. Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers officially opened the Ninth ICC Cricket World Cup infront of thousands of local fans and a global television audience of countless millions. The party moved into overdrive as Jamaica's favourite son, the late Bob Marley, was remembered with a medley of his greatest hits including; 'One Love' and 'No Woman, No Cry'. This had the stadium rocking and sent us home having experienced an extremely rewarding and entertaining show.
It is simply hard to put into words the events of the last week as I am still trying to comprehend the magnitude of Ireland's first two games in a World Cup. Our first was against Zimbabwe on 15th March, a game that many believed we could win, many went as far as expected us to win, but as players, it was a case of putting our years of training and preparation under the meticulous planning of coach, Adi Birrell, into action.
Something we had not anticipated was the impact the travelling Irish support would have on the game. They have travelled hundreds and hundreds of miles to get to Jamaica and even then, the vast majority are based over two hours away from the match venue of Sabina Park.
The game unfolded to leave Zimbabwe requiring nine runs off the last over to win. I was the man entrusted with trying to see Ireland to victory by bowling the final six balls. Thankfully only eight were mustered and Ireland had rescued the third 'tied match' in World Cup history, sparking wild scenes of euphoria. It felt like a win under the circumstances.
Having watched the final few overs on television replays later that night the emotions that were etched across the face of every supporter shown, meant I could only chuckle. If ever there was an indication to me that it's easier being in the middle than in the stands then this was it. Having received a best wishes fax from Mr Bertie Ahern the night before there is every chance he heard a few songs being sung by the travelling support late into the night back in Dublin. What a day.
We only had a day to recover before the crunch match versus Pakistan on the 17th. We met the night before in our customary team meeting and decided that if ever there was a chance to beat the fourth best ranked team in world cricket then St.Patrick's Day was it.
Bowling first, conditions were ideal for us and with an extra thousand or so supporters in the ground there was an atmosphere building at a phenomenal rate. As we claimed Pakistan wicket after wicket I could sense the belief growing that we were in for something special. We bowled Pakistan out for 132 and this gave us the chance for the biggest of World Cup upsets ever. Every run we scored was cheered and with 15 needed for victory many of the same supporters were going through the agony two days out of three. We got over the finishing line and needless to say I was down the pavilion steps and onto the ground in a flash as the St.Patrick's Day party was just about to begin. Our lap of honour was a moment I will cherish as people dressed in leprechaun outfits, silly hats, draped in flags, shamrocks a plenty and many bare chested but 'roasted' from a day in the sun crammed against the barriers to show us what our efforts had meant to them.
Three hours later we were still in the dressing rooms, having clambered into one of the stands to share the moment with some of those supporters that had sung every song they knew throughout the day. You really had to be there to believe it because not even Sky Sports I am sure were able to do it justice.
One of the first men to congratulate us on our victory was the Pakistan coach, Bob Woolmer. I shook hands with him as he declared 'you deserved to win, enjoy the moment'. The Ireland team travelled to the supporters resort of Ochos Rios where the party went into overdrive, however as we shared time with them and our families on the beach the following day, some very sad news filtered through. The same gentleman, Bob Woolmer, had been found unconscious in his hotel bedroom and later died in hospital. The cause is still unknown, however it very quickly put cricket into perspective.
Our final group game is on Friday 24th against the hosts, the West Indies. Can we really pull another shock out of the bag? Why not!
The magnitude of our performances to date at the World Cup was finally sinking in when on the 5th floor of the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, the door of the lift opened. Pakistan players were packing their bags for home, yet, we were preparing for another month on Caribbean shores.
In many ways we will be glad to move on from Jamaica to Guyana. Whilst the cricket has been fantastic, all that has surrounded the murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, the hotel was becoming a difficult place to be. The news of his death filtered through to us as we shared our victory over Pakistan with our loyal and truly brilliant supporters at their resort in Ochos Rios. It will remain one of the hardest things to fathom for us as a team. Every time we entered the lobby it was swelling with camera crews and reporters all looking for a different angle on Bob's tragic death. There have been many things written and said with even reports of match fixing being brought into question. Two teams have never fought so hard for victory on that famous St Patrick's Day.
The Spirit of Cricket is a special part of our game and is a concept that stretches beyond the boundaries of the outfield. Young people today have never known a world without HIV/Aids. I am acting as the Irish team's ambassador for the ICC's initiative to make young people more aware of the disease. Removing the ignorance surrounding it will go along way to saving many lives so I took time out to visit a special clinic for disabled teenagers in Spanish Town, dedicated to doing just that. It was a moving experience and a real eye opener. Hopefully I managed to put a smile on their face for a few hours.
Back on the playing field and our final group game against the host nation, the West Indies. A capacity crowd made it a great spectacle and an atmosphere we will most likely never experience again. Our own Irish supporters have been one of the organising committee's highlights but despite all their efforts, they were drowned out by the locals at Sabina Park. I suffered 'verbal banter' on the boundary edge having ruined their day by catching Chris Gayle, a return smile didn't help my cause! As the ball went high in the air it was hard not to think that all but 2000 of the capacity crowd were willing me to drop the ball. The heart was certainly beating a little quicker! Batting first we were fifty runs short of what we wanted and invariably needed, to put enough pressure on the West Indies. On the day they were the better side and in Shivnarine Chanderpaul they have a real gem.
We, beyond all expectations and despite, thoughts from some areas of the English media, deserve to be in the Super 8 stage of the World Cup. I have been disappointed by some of their attitudes towards our success as they seem to find it hard to accept that we have lit up the World Cup rather than their own English team. Some interviews I have conducted lately have been a real indication as to the traps that many top sportsmen and woman can fall into. It can be dangerous territory. The cricket is going to be a massive challenge from here on in, preparing mentally has proved a challenge in itself as every game is bigger than the last. Every step and every move is watched and the intensity therefore is huge. It certainly takes its toll mentally more than physically. In saying this we have responded superbly to date, so were ready for more.
It's onto Guyana now, rather than a return home, can't be bad can it! Bring on England on Friday.
We are based in Guyana for seventeen nights while we play three of our Super 8 games of the World Cup. The Super 8 is a round robin league format with the top four making up the semi final berths. Guyana is part of mainland South America, sharing its borders with Brazil and Venezuela. On the coastland, lies the capital and our base Georgetown, rich in colonial heritage and a constant reminder that while part of South America they hold strong historical and cultural ties with the Caribbean.
Unfortunately besides match days and training there is not a great deal to do, however the bank headquarters have given us private use of their sports facilities for the duration of our stay.
Our first game on Friday 30th March was a big one. It was against our near neighbours, England, however, it's one thing playing England in a one off situation but playing them in a World Cup is a different environment altogether. For the first time I saw for myself what pressures any English sporting team is under from the media and you get the sense that to be constantly in the media spotlight can only be difficult for any of their players, especially when they struggle for form. We have had our own fair share of negative comments by certain areas of the English media regarding whether our position in the Super 8's was good for the excitement of the World Cup.
Despite this, we are in the Super 8's having tied with one Test playing nation and beaten another. England on the other hand got through but failed to beat the other Test nation, New Zealand, in their group.
It was with a great deal of excitement and expectation that we took on England last Friday. Any sporting occasion between the two countries is never dull. Our quality opening bowler Boyd Rankin, a 6ft 7 farmer, took the early wickets of Ed Joyce and captain, Michael Vaughan and set Irish supporters thinking of the possibility of yet another party! However, we as players were not surprised when England's most consistent performer Paul Collingwood showed his class in the last ten overs to take England past the 250 mark.
Ireland batted with grit and determination and no less skill, but for the second game in a row we were strangled in the middle overs by the spinners. For 80 of the 100 overs we matched England and it was a disappointed dressing room afterwards as we knew we had the capabilities of pushing England closer than the final 48 run margin suggested. It was great to contribute a quickfire 38 runs myself towards the end. When you get into the heat of battle in the middle and with someone like Andrew Flintoff in full flow, it really is amazing how adrenaline takes over. Taking on England, face to face in a World Cup is one for the grandchildren as they say!
We may have sent Pakistan home but one of their supporters was so impressed with the Irish following that instead of going home himself he vowed to follow Ireland to the very end. He is now claiming to be 'more than half Irish', along with the hotel staff who have agreed that when we leave, they too will be Irish at heart!
It has been the case for quite a while within this Ireland squad that Kyle McCallan and yours truly have been the instigators of many practical jokes down the years. However, on the 1st April we were caught at our own game! We were approached by our media manager during training to say Christopher Martin-Jenkins of the Daily Telegraph wants an interview at the Windies Sports Bar at 2pm. Off we set in our fifteen minute taxi ride. On arrival and an hour later there was no Christopher Martin Jenkins – just a barrage of texts to say 'APRIL FOOLS'!
Revenge will be sweet but for the meantime–nnAs a group of players we know the challenges that await us and the work rate will continue to be of the highest level to make sure we are prepared for them.
As international cricketers we are in a privileged position where we have the chance to travel the world to do something we love. Having, over the last four months, set foot in five different continents we have had many great experiences, however, none have been topped by our visit to the Kaieteur Falls in Guyana.
The Kaieteur Falls is a waterfall on the Potaro River in central Guyana. Located in the Kaieteur National Park, a region that is also claimed by Venezuela, it is 226 meters (741 feet) when measured from its plunge over a sandstone cliff to the first break. It then flows over a series of steep cascades that, when included in the measurements, bring the total height to 251 meters (822 feet).
Kaieteur Falls is about five times higher than the more well known Niagara Falls, located on the border between Canada and the United States and about two times the height of the Victoria Falls located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa. nIts distinction lies in the unique combination of great height and large volume, averaging 663 cubic meters per second (23,400 cubic feet per second). Thus it is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, rivaling even the Jog Falls of India's Karnataka state during the monsoon season It was fascinating viewing and many photographs were taken in precarious positions. It added to the whole occasion.
Since last week we have played two more of our Super 8 matches, against South Africa and New Zealand respectively. They both ended in defeat but again we showed in patches that we can mix it with the best. Sitting in the dressing room after the games and often for a few days after, many thoughts go through my head as to why we are doing so much right but for a ten over spell here and there we loose our way. I suppose it's the difference between the professional sides who spend eleven months of the year playing at this level around the globe.
I was particularly impressed with New Zealand, they have firepower throughout their team and a noticably less arrogant style to their game compared to that of England. They seemed wholly focused on doing the basics right and doing a professional job against us. nI am expecting them to be pushing hard for a World Cup Final berth.
This has been the hardest part of the tournament for us from the point of view that we were tired of Georgetown, Guyana. The seventeen days with little to do and only three games, dragged in, however we have now arrived in Barbados and the Barbados Hilton no less. If anyone would like to join the Irish supporters for our game against Australia tomorrow you will find a free room at the hotel. However, you will need to have $750 dollars close at hand for your room bill! Prices are extortionate.
I guess playing Australia tomorrow will potentially be the toughest test of them all. They like New Zealand are unbeaten and will be in no mood to treat us lightly. We will be lifted by another batch of Irish supporters, many of whom will return for the second time, having followed our epic journey through Jamaica. Hopefully, this new import of green can spur us on to the end. Three games to go and they are not getting any easier.
Our Super 8 campaign had been a mixed bag, decent performances against England and South Africa followed by a disappointing batting performance against New Zealand, leading to defeat. We were so keen to put on a show for the hundreds of supporters who had continued to follow us around the Caribbean and for those that travelled out to experience the atmosphere for the first time. Beautiful Barbados is steeped in cricket history but we wanted a piece for ourselves.
Friday 13th April was certainly not unlucky for the mighty Australia as they showed why they are going for their third successive World Cup triumph. We went into the biggest game in the history of Irish cricket in determined mood, knowing full well that we were playing against some of the greatest of all time.
I was feeling fairly relaxed considering the magnitude of the game in front of a big crowd and in the magnificent Kensington Oval setting. The stands are named after West Indian legends and you could sense the history despite the stadium being rebuilt.
We had to contend with Matthew Tait bowling his 90mph plus deliveries and at the other end Glenn McGrath, one of those greats, so it was far from comfortable. It was even more so for me as I took a blow on the head from a McGrath delivery. It left me slightly concussed for over a day but we as a team were hurting more from a heavy defeat at the hands of the ultimate professionals. I thought about the game in my room that night trying to come to terms with the sheer class and intensity and how the best in the world operate day in and day out.
Many would have thought being bowled out for 91 and losing by 9 wickets to Australia would have left us demoralised and deflated but we have come back from defeat in emphatic fashion before. We did it again, but doing it on the world stage was even more satisfying as we outplayed Bangladesh in every department. This was a massive win as it puts us in with the elite as the 12th best side in the world.
The game was played in front of our biggest crowd to date and the atmosphere superb as there is no doubting that the Irish don't need a second opportunity to party. After the game as darkness fell and the players shared thoughts two and a half hours later in the dressing rooms, I walked onto the playing arena again. I was met in the middle by the groundsman who said 'you are part of history man; you Irish are special to me, one heart, one love'! Obviously a Bob Marley fan!
What more can we say about our supporters? They have been truly remarkable and for those that missed the Jamaican experience it was great to give them a taste of an Ireland World Cup victory. The leading lights of the famous Barmy Army, here to support England, gave those in the Greenidge/Haynes stand a helping hand and when Indian supporters are getting their shirts signed by Ireland players you realise what an impact we continue to have.
Our coach, Adrian Birrell, will complete his last days work with the shamrock on his chest on Wednesday (yesterday) as we play our final game against Sri Lanka. Words cannot describe the impact he has had on Irish cricket.
One last effort for country and coach to finish.