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Ryan Bailey looks at the 10 reasons why Ireland’s eagerly anticipated ODI with England at Malahide on Friday May 8th is not to be missed!
It was, in so many ways, a day in which Irish cricket affirmed its capacity to engage at the top level, both on and off the field. Of course, the result – a six-wicket reversal to England at the new international venue in Malahide – left the majority of the sell-out crowd contemplating what might have been but that was a minor blot, if even that, on an otherwise faultless day.

For this was a match, an event even, that accentuated the sport’s growth and swelling interest levels on these shores. An unprecedented crowd of 10,000 revelled in the early September sunshine at a pop-up ground, constructed from scratch, that will, for years to come, be the home of Irish cricket.

Tuesday 3rd September has set the bar-high but it was just the beginning. There promises to be many more days like that as Irish cricket continues its headlong blossoming and we don’t have to wait long for another showpiece One-Day International.

While the forthcoming World Cup is at the forefront of the cricketing agenda, there are now less than 100 days until England, led by Eoin Morgan, make the short trip across the Irish sea to visit Malahide once again.

Here are ten reasons why the latest episode in this cricketing rivalry is an event not to be missed.

May 8th marks the start of a busy and important international summer

After a relatively quiet 2014, this year promises to be another landmark twelve months for Irish cricket. In addition to the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, the itinerary for Phil Simmons’ side is a congested one and the home season starts with the visit of England in early May.

The dearth of fixtures in 2014, particularly on home shores, was frustrating for fans but there is no shortage of international cricket available on our doorstep over the coming year. Once business is concluded Down Under, all attention will turn to preparation for the first fixture of the international summer at Malahide.

Not only will the game be significant because of the opposition but it’s importance, regardless of how Ireland fare at the World Cup, cannot be understated. While a standalone fixture isn’t ideal, it offers William Porterfield and his side the opportunity to build some momentum ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers, a tournament Ireland are co-hosting alongside Scotland.

Following that qualifying tournament in July, many people’s favourites to win the World Cup, Australia, are the visitors to Belfast in late August for another marquee ODI.

The first chance to welcome Ireland home from the World Cup

With many of the Irish squad set to head straight to their counties for the start of the County Cricket season straight after the World Cup, May 8th will be the first opportunity to welcome Phil Simmons’ side back home after their endeavours in Australia/New Zealand.

Who knows, it could be an opportunity to see the country’s latest sporting heroes first hand.

That aside, however, Irish fans haven’t had the chance to watch their side, in full, up close since the Sri Lankan series in Clontarf twelve months ago. As much as the English stars will be an attraction, the prospect of witnessing Kevin O’Brien or Paul Stirling bludgeoning the ball to all corners or Craig Young, Ireland’s newest star, dismantling the opposition’s top-order with a hostile new ball spell is just as appealing.

Big name stars aplenty

Having just retained the Ashes, the ECB’s decision to send over a panel shorn of their luminaries in 2013 caused a furore but there’s unlikely to be a repeat this time around. Although England’s final Test of their Caribbean tour starts a week before their Dublin date, there is now far less crossover between Peter Moores’ five-day and limited-overs squads.

As it happened, many of the players on show two years ago have now developed into key components of England’s ODI side with Gary Ballance and James Taylor set to be involved at the World Cup while Jos Buttler has matured into one of the most exciting, and destructive, batsmen on the circuit. All three, barring injury, should return to Malahide in May as part of a re-energised Three Lions side.

Moreover, having spent the winter in Australia and then the West Indies, England will be keen to attune themselves to ‘home’ conditions before their series with New Zealand, which starts later in May.

Eoin Morgan returns home as England’s permanent ODI captain

He may have broken Irish hearts with a century of consummate mastery two years ago but, as Ireland’s finest cricketing export, there can be a lot of pride for all associated with the sport here in seeing our very own Eoin Morgan captain one of cricket’s protagonists.

Predictably, there will be those that lament his decision to switch allegiances but the ovation he received upon reaching three figures at his old home ground was an indication of how popular Morgan remains on these shores.

In a way, his innings of 124 contributed to the narrative of a special and indelible day in 2013 and it will be another proud moment for the Dubliner to return home as permanent captain of England. Without doubt, the crowd that descend on North Dublin in May will give him another fitting reception. From an Irish perspective, however, it would be nice if he didn’t have as much of an impact with the bat this time around. That said, watching Morgan in full flow is worth the admission fee alone even if it is in England colours.

Ireland’s rivalry with their near neighbours will be renewed

Having been drawn in separate World Cup groups, Ireland won’t get the opportunity to rekindle memories of Bangalore over the next six weeks unless the pair meet in the knock-out stages. But, as much as another victory over the near neighbours on the biggest stage is a fanciful prospect, gaining a semblance of revenge will be on the agenda come May.

The visitors were 48-4, and on the brink of submersion, in 2013 but that partnership between Morgan and Ravi Bopara dashed Ireland’s hopes. It was another missed opportunity for Phil Simmons’ side to upset a Full Member on home soil having not managed to do so previously. There will be a determination to learn from the mistakes of past failings this time around and any match between Ireland and England, in any sport, always has that added bit of spice to it.

Fortress Malahide

With the start of the hugely significant Intercontinental Cup campaign on the horizon, as well as the possibility of more home ODIs in line with last week’s announcement from the ICC, the need for Ireland to fully utilise home conditions is crucial. As mentioned previously, their record against those ranked above them on home soil is far from ideal and there would be no better time to change that than when the neighbours are around.

The idyllic Village venue was transformed into an international stadium two years ago and that same process will take place again in the coming months. The imposing stands that overlook the playing area aside, the pitches that we’ve seen in Malahide have been conducive to high-scoring, entertaining contests and there is no reason why it should be any different this year.

Be part of the 10,000

Irish people love an event and May 8th promises to be another unmissable one for sports fans. The Big Bash has shown the virtue of enterprising marketing campaigns and new initiatives in attracting new fans through the turnstiles.

Cricket Ireland have already shown their propensity to stage a sporting fixture of such magnitude after receiving an ICC award for the hosting of the 2013 fixture and the organisers will no doubt have learnt a great deal from Malahide’s first international outing.

In 2013, President Michael D. Higgins and members of the ICC hierarchy were among the 10,000 on hand to witness one of the greatest sporting spectacles in recent Irish sporting history.

If the high-octane cricket isn’t enough to keep you entertained, the vast food and drink quarter will ensure you stay refreshed throughout the day while the hugely popular Cricket Village will make a return with development officers on hand to give you the chance to try your hand at all the disciplines.

If that’s not enough, there will be a big screen, plenty of music and no doubt an array of freebies on the day.

Enjoy an atmosphere? Experience a day at the cricket

Never has a game of cricket in Ireland been witness to such theatre than the atmosphere during England’s win two years ago. There’s an assumption the sport is played to a backdrop of deferential silence and a smattering of well-mannered applause by the appreciative crowd as they purr at a perfectly executed cover-drive or an exquisitely timed push down the ground.

But, times have changed.

Anybody in attendance at the previous meeting between these two sides at Malahide will know there was no shortage of atmosphere that day and with enticing packages once again available to those wishing to travel from England for the game, there should be an equally partisan ambience. The Irish need no invitation to get kitted out in green and support their side.

You can make a weekend of it in the Irish capital

What better way to start the weekend than a day at one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events of 2015? If you fancy enjoying the action in style then there are a number of corporate packages available while you can also make a club bonding session out of it to begin the domestic season on the right note.

The Cricket Ireland ‘Club Day Out Experience’ offers a match ticket, programme, morning coffee, lunch and a drink for just €60 to members of Irish cricket clubs, and the ‘Big Day Out Experience’ is available to all visitors for just €65. Sure, what else would you be doing?

Tickets are still available (but we can’t imagine for long)

There is often a lot of criticism levelled at governing bodies for the price of tickets in the current climate but if you’re looking for value for money then cricket is the answer. Unlike the traditional sports, the game isn’t over within the space of two hours and you get full bang for your buck from your day at the cricket.

Tickets are brilliantly priced at just €45, €38 for senior citizens and just €15 for U16s while there are great rates should you wish to bring the family along (there will be plenty for the kids to do when they can’t stay still in their seat).

With the match well on it’s way to another sell-out, it promises to be another monumental day for Irish cricket. Make sure you’re there to welcome our World Cup squad home when near neighbours England return to these shores. Get your tickets here!

Ryan Bailey is a sports journalist with The42.ie, formerly TheScore.ie. You can follow all of Ireland’s World Cup journey with their extensive coverage of the tournament including exclusive interviews with members of the Irish squad.

Ryan Bailey
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