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Most cricketers have had one innings, one spell, one match where they marked themselves out as something special. From the experience of Ed Joyce to youngster Stuart Thompson, each player can remember the coming of age performance that put them forward as one to watch for the future.

Over the next 12 weeks, starting today, Cricket Ireland will be building up to the biggest cricket match ever to come to Ireland, the RSA Challenge which sees Ireland play England at the new international ground in Malahide on September 3rd. Each week we will have a different guest author writing about something relating to one of cricket’s oldest rivalries. First up, Isobel Joyce chats to some of Ireland’s finest and asks them to remember that first jump up the ladder.

Maureen Joyce, mother of the Ed Joyce, recently found a scorebook from way back in 1993 when Ed scored a century for Merrion Cricket Club’s 3rd XI, and she says that was the innings that announced him as one to watch.

“It was for the thirds and it was a round of the middle cup. They played it in Wanderers Rugby club on Merrion Road which was YMCA’s second ground at the time and none of us were actually at the game! We had to wait and hear about it afterwards and everyone was astonished at the performance. I think that was because nobody else on the team got above 28 and Ed carried his bat having opened.

Ed with Merrion’s 3rd XI in 1994

“There were former first team cricketers like Denis McKenna and Paul Quinlan playing, and everyone there, including the YM people, were amazed because he was so young and he was small at the time. They actually went on to win that cup and he got player of the match in the final. There are loads of photos of him going up to get the award that day and he just looks so young you wouldn’t believe he could make all those runs.”

James Shannon plays for Instonians and is one of Ireland’s up-and-coming players. He remembers gaining confidence from a warm-up game for the U19 World Cup that prepared him for the tournament and his career since then.

“For me that one innings that sticks out was in an U19 game against West Indies. We were playing them in a warm-up game and I think they got around 190. I got about 86, and even though I think we lost in last over, it was my first substantial contribution.

“The game was a decent standard and we were trying to beat the U19 team of a test nation. It gave me a lot of confidence after not having done so well maybe up until then, and that confidence helped with the U19 tournament and then making the step up to the next level with the Ireland A side and then the full international team.”

Eglinton’s Stuart Thompson has broken onto the full international team in the last 12 months, but even he wasn’t always so sure of his ability as he is now.

Stuart Thompson was named International Emerging Player of the Year at the 2012 RSA CI Awards

“When I was 15 or 16 I was always in the underage international teams but not really seen to be a big player by others or myself. But when I scored 97* against Scotland at Ireland U17 level it made me realise that maybe I could perform at this more elite level.

“The same happened at the next level for the Ireland A team against Hampshire where I got 97* again so hopefully it’s a progression and that score is around the corner for the full international side!”

Veteran Trent Johnston grew up in Wollongong in Australia’s New South Wales and played State cricket for New South Wales before coming to Ireland as an overseas professional. Johnston stayed in Ireland and was given his first cap in 2004, almost 10 years ago, but the game that stands out for him was almost 25 years ago back in Wollongong.

“When I first started playing first grade cricket it was for my local team, Dapto Canaries, and when I was 15, I think, was my first year opening the bowling. In the first game that year I got 16 wickets in the match – it was a Saturday/Sunday match.

“I don’t remember my figures but I know I got seven in the first innings and nine in the second and only 10 guys turned up on the Sunday because the wicket-keeper got into an argument with the captain the first day, something about batting orders, and didn’t show up the second day. The only other thing I remember was that I was on two hat-tricks during the game and both times a catch was dropped on the hat-trick ball!”

Trent with son Charlie

Most players that make it to the top level have a spell of bowling, a score, one moment of magic on the field that stands out in their memories from their younger days, lets hope that one of those playing on September 3rd has another one.

The RSA Challenge is on September 3rd at Fortress Malahide. Tickets for the match can be purchased via Ticketmaster by clicking here.

Isobel Joyce
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