News

It’s the morning of one of those all or nothing days that will test the nerves to the absolute limit. In just over 12 hours’ time Ireland’s World T20 dream will either be over and the plane to Dublin will await or it will live on with a much shorter flight to Chittagong and the glittering prize of a place in the Super 10.

It’s the morning of one of those all or nothing days that will test the nerves to the absolute limit. In just over 12 hours’ time Ireland’s World T20 dream will either be over and the plane to Dublin will await or it will live on with a much shorter flight to Chittagong and the glittering prize of a place in the Super 10.

SLYHET: FRIDAY, MARCH 21: 5AM:

The Dutch, of course, stand in the way and both sides will share the same breakfast room knowing that they will probably not play a more important 20-over cricket match. If Ireland win, game set and match. If Holland win and Zimbabwe defeat UAE earlier in the day it will be a three-way tie at the top and run rate will decide who goes through. Nerves indeed.

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So far, so good for Paul Stirling after that upper right arm injury against the UAE. X-rays have shown nothing sinister but I can testify to the fact that the ball has left its mark. A final call will be made just before the start (9.30am BST): fingers cross, as it were.

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Other sports are helping the players relax on rest days. Team manager Roy Torrens showed me round the spacious team room; Ed Joyce throwing a mean dart in one corner, in another Kevin O’Brien (Borussia Dortmund) and Max Sorensen (Bayern Munich) displaying their computerised soccer skills on a huge screen. Left with Munich two up and looking good ……

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No rest day for the women’s team a couple of hundred miles away in Savar outside Dhaka. As reported in detail elsewhere on the site, the first of two warm-up games saw defeat by 49 runs against Sri Lanka. Tough time in the field with only a couple of wickets for 170, but Cecilia Joyce led the way with 44 in a reply of 121. More action today against India. The squad will arrive here in Sylhet after the men have left for either home or Chittagong. Look forward to greeting them all again and urging them on in their first Group game against New Zealand next Tuesday – on the day I HOPE the men play Sri Lanka in Chittagong.

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One of the joys of wearing the blazer is meeting quite a number of Ireland supporters who pop up in the most unlikely places. Bangladesh may have many attractions but it wouldn’t top the list of venues for a cricketing holiday, so quelle surprise to meet Ireland’s one and only touring supporter here in Slyhet. Philip McAlister had travelled all the way from Lambeg to beat the drum for Ireland in the first two matches against Zimbabwe and the UAE and has now flown home with two wins under his belt. The one thing the Ireland camp embraces warmly is travelling support and Philip has the pictures to prove it. They will no doubt do the rounds of his colleagues at the excellent Visit Belfast Welcome Centre and at Derriaghy CC which he pops into during the season.

Philip McAlister with squad members at the team hotel in Slyhet.

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Ian “Gunner” Gould doesn’t do things by half. So when the umpire and three of his mates had a day away from the middle they decided to hit the golf course in style: everything from fancy gear to full sets of clubs.
Directions given, taxi picks up and an hour and a half later the four ball arrive …… at a crazy golf centre! What’s that about Lost in Translation.

Ian Gould (left) had an interesting journey

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Gunner and his fellow umpires standing in the Slyhet games – among them Steve Davis and Billy Bowden – report to match referee David Boon, the larger than life former Australian batsman who so entertained on the field and now does likewise off it. He stands with the officials and two teams as the anthems are played and he tells me there’s no doubt who gets his vote when it comes to singing. The Ireland squad belt out Phil Coulter’s “Ireland’s Call” with rare gusto and I guess for two reasons: the television sends the message back home that the team is raring to go; the same message is received along the line by the opposition.

Robin Walsh
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Connaught