I’m thoroughly looking forward to the game on Thursday now. We’ll probably be without Boyd Rankin after he strained his groin playing county cricket last week. But our lads seem in decent form and gave Scotland a good hiding in an ODI on Saturday.
England will arrive with a squad containing lots of players who were part of the England and Wales team who reclaimed the Ashes at the weekend. They’ll also include Eoin Morgan, a former Ireland player. I was at the game in Stormont in 2006 when Ed Joyce opened for England and it was sickening. I don’t blame Ed or Eoin, I’m disgusted with the ICC.
Anyway, we’ll have a full line-up, with all our county players available so I expect us to be very competitive.
I wouldn’t have thought Eoin Morgan would get anywhere near an English 1st pick anyway. Ed Joyce, at the time, was good enough to make the English team.
Up to my nuts in work today. Does anyone know anything about the pitch? Is it a beast? TJ took 2 for 7 off his first 6 overs. We have an outstanding chance to beat them if a) the pitch is in a decent state and it’s our good bowling that has limited them and b) if we can hold it together while bowling these last 10 overs. In CWC2007, we had them in trouble and then conceded 100+ runs in the last ten. 'Mon the fucking Ireland.
Ashes hero Jonathan Trott fell for nought as England made a disastrous start to their RSA one-day international against Ireland in Belfast.
Trott, whose brilliant hundred on Test debut set up the 197-run over Australia, was trapped lbw by one which nipped back from Trent Johnston.
Opener Ravi Bopara, whose wretched time against the Australians led to his omission for the decisive, final Test, also went without scoring to Johnston, after edging a drive to second slip.
It meant that when rain stopped play in the seventh over, England were struggling on 11 for two, having surprisingly chosen to bat in testing conditions.
Things might have been even worse moments earlier but debutant Joe Denly’s skier off Johnston landed between Regan West and John Mooney, running back from mid-on and mid-off respectively.
That escape came with Kent’s Denly on five as strokeplay proved difficult on the slow surface.
It was not until the 21st ball of the innings, in fact, that England scored a run off the bat, when Denly found the rope at extra cover with a drive off Kevin O’Brien.
Johnston’s spell of 3.5-1-5-2 was a perfect way for him to celebrate his 100th appearance for his adopted nation and set up the prospect of Ireland inflicting another shock.
[quote=“Special Olympiakos”]203/9 they made from their 50.
Batting has always been our weakness. If we can get through 8/10 overs wihout losing wickets its a very gettable target.[/quote]
Good call Special Olympiakos, batting is our problem alright. Need a good start from N. O’Brien and Porterfield. Englands Bowling attack isnt that strong and have a fair few bits and pieces bowlers in Wright, Bopara and Collingwood. Dont really rate Bresnan either. Think England have shows with their selections for this game, the games against the aussies and The ICC Champions Trophy that they simply view 1 day cricket as a breeding ground for Test Cricket. Denly isnt the hitter they need at the top of the order and 67 off 111 proves that today, Bopara’s is in awful form. Trott deserves his chance alright. Im still mystified that Ed Joyce isnt in their plans, he had the most runs in Englands Premier 50 over competition this year. Any thoughts??
Joyce was on with Robbie Irwin a few weeks ago on the Sunday morning thing on radio. He sounded quite sore about being out of the England frame all right. He thought he might get into an Ashes squad and at the very least the full day ODI squad. He has no intention of doing a Gavin Hamilton on it and cutiing his losses which makes him either; a/ ambitious still which is to be admired or b/ a treacherous cunt.
Yeah i read an article by him somewhere and he mentioned that the thought has crossed his mind about qualifying for Ireland again if he felt he had no future with England. The closest he ever got to a Test was when he was called up for Trescothick on the last Ashes tour in Australia. Its a shame for him really. I would go with the a / to be admired:)
Yep,he only got to play part of the Twenty20 WC because he was doing A levels or O levels (don’t know which is which). He’s been playing second XI with Middlesex over the summer, as far as I know. Following the Joyce and Morgan path, I suppose - not lovely if we lose another.