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Cricket Ireland President Robin Walsh gives us his latest update from the pen of the president, reporting on another memorable week for some of Ireland’s cricket representatives, this time the Under 15 Boys and an unbeaten run in Rugby in the midlands of the UK.
It really is turning out to be a fine summer and I’m not just talking about the weather.

First up, the men’s senior team and the qualification for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Next, the women’s team and the nail biting finish in Dublin against The Netherlands which clinched a place early next year in the ICC’s Twenty20 World Cup finals in Bangladesh.

And now, step forward the Under 15 international squad, newly crowned European Division One champions.

Rugby School in the Midlands of England may have been the famous birthplace of rugby but for a week in August it gave way to cricket, and that’s how it will be long remembered – probably never forgotten – by the quite excellent 13-strong squad and their coaches Simon Johnston and Stephen Moreton.

The record will show played four and won four against Jersey, Guernsey, The Netherland and Scotland to take the championship. Dig a little deeper and a highly promising breed of new talent is revealed – particularly in the last, winner-take-all final game against Scotland on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Both sides had won their previous three games. The prize nestled on a table at the boundary edge; a fine silver trophy which Ireland last claimed back in 2007.

Things could have started better for the Irish boys as Scotland confidently took first knock: yes, two quick wickets fell but at 82 for 2 the trophy looked to have a tinge of tartan about it. Enter the leg-spin of Pembroke’s Fiachra Tucker and Ben White of Phoenix and, quite remarkably, the Scots lost their last eight wickets for 44. All out 126, with Tucker claiming 5-29 off his 10 overs and White 3-5 off his four overs.

Ireland always looked in control despite the loss of an early wicket. Opener Colin Currie (Clontarf) batted throughout to bring up victory and his 43 with a six; young Tucker completed a brilliant all-round performance with 41 and an undefeated 23 by Stephen Doheny of Rush saw Ireland take the trophy with a most convincing eight wicket win.

There was to be another trophy for Ireland. Fiachra Tucker was the runaway winner of the Player of the Tournament award which, rather thoughtfully, ICC Europe invited me to present.

If there was to be any disappointment it was to be found in the fact that the team skipper Danny Hogan of Terenure was forced to miss the final. He’d broken his arm during fielding practice a few days earlier but the manner in which he dispensed enthusiasm as he fetched and carried for his teammates was nothing short of admirable. His constant companion over the boundary line was his elder brother Michael who just happened to be nursing a broken foot which forced him to miss the Ireland U17 three-day match against Scotland in July.

All in all it was a fine tournament and it was a delight to see the considerable contribution from Irish cricket into its excellent organisation. Trevor Magee was the Tournament Referee, Paddy O’Hara the Umpires Manager, and Alex Adams and Jareth McCready were two of the six umpires on parade.

And hats off to ICC Europe and Tournament Director Chris Porter for the inspired choice of venue. Such is the expansive nature of its endless sports facilities that Rugby boasts three cricket grounds, one of which hosted a Warwickshire Twenty20 game earlier in the season.

With over 600 boarders there is no shortage of accommodation in the 15 Houses, allowing an atmosphere never to be found in the somewhat more expensive environment of a hotel. All facilities were within walking distance – not least the ground on which Ireland beat Scotland, part enclosed by the wall where in 1823 a local lad, one William Webb Ellis, lifted a football, ran with it and invented the game of rugby.

Robin Walsh
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