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CricketIreland.ie caught up with Peter Chase at Ireland’s training session today to talk about what it’s like to be at a World Cup, and how preparations are going for him ahead of the two warm up matches this week.
Chase is taking part in his first major tournament after a hugely impressive start to his first class career at Durham last year, and he is hoping to get a chance to continue that form in the warm up matches against Scotland and Bangladesh this week.

“Scotland is always a big game for Ireland, I’ve never really played against Scotland at senior level before so I’d love to do that and get one over on them, and obviously Bangladesh is a big game, full member nation and hopefully preparation goes well again.”

After arriving in Australia, Chase and the Ireland squad have been based in Coogee, a few miles from Sydney city centre where they were hosted by Randwick Petersham CC, but after being beaten by the club in a friendly the squad have now moved to the city as preparations intensify.

“It’s been fantastic so far, Randwick did a great job hosting us, obviously the game didn’t go to plan but it was a great week training and hopefully we’re prepared now for the upcoming games.

“[the pitch] was a little bit flat but obviously that’s no excuse, we didn’t really perform. It was a warm up game, but still we would have like to have but a performance in but hopefully onwards and upwards now.”

Starting the tour in the quieter suburb of Coogee before moving into the city has allowed the squad to settle in before the buzz of the World Cup really took hold, meaning those players, like Chase, who are that their first major international tournament have had a chance to let the buzz sink in gradually.

“It didn’t really hit me last week, but since we’ve arrived here at the city centre in Sydney it’s kind of hit me what’s going on.

“It’s my first world cup and it’s just unbelievable seeing how things work – just seeing all the other players walking around – I walked past Chris Gayle and some of the other lads the other day, it’s unbelievable and its starting to hit me now that I’m at a World Cup.”

One of the highlights so far for Chase has been the opportunity to work with one of his idols, Brett Lee who has been supporting the Irish bowlers since they moved to the city centre.

“It’s been amazing, obviously Brett is one of the best bowlers in the world and probably the original bowler I looked up to as a child and it’s been fantastic to get to know his insight into the game and what he thinks about your bowling, it’s been unbelievable.

“He hasn’t tried to change anything with my action or anything, he was just telling me to run in and do what I do, bowl as fast as I can and hopefully it pays off.”

With Ireland up against some of the biggest teams in world cricket over the next month there is a lot of opportunity on the horizon for Chase, but there is no doubt who he is looking forward to facing most during the World Cup.

“South Africa, just because of all the big name players that you kind of look up to when you’re watching cricket when you’re younger. Like Dale Steyn, de Villiers. Hopefully if I play against South Africa I look forward to bowling at de Villiers.”

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