RevSportz Comments
This has been happening for a long time, and it seems strange to say this about a team that just played its first test in May 2018 and won its first win in just eight games. For example, it took India 25 matches to break their duck, while New Zealand took 45 Tests. Compared to them, Ireland got there at the pace of Usain Bolt.
But the atmosphere is like that of a team left out of international cricket. Afghanistan and even the Netherlands have won a lot of praise in recent years, with both countries pulling off notable upsets at the recent India World Cup. For Ireland, missing out on the stage where they enjoyed three successive World Cups between 2007 and 2015 was a huge blow.
Whether they like it or not, any mention of Irish cricket inevitably brings up World Cup flashbacks. The famous victory over Pakistan at Sabina Park in 2007 was overshadowed only by the tragic death of Bob Woolmer hours later. Kevin O'Brien's heist against England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in 2011. In 2015, they crushed the once-mighty West Indies. Memories of Irish cricket are made of these.
They may have been regulars at the T20 World Cup since 2009, when they reached the Super 8 stage, but the competition lacks the pomp and tradition that comes with a 50-over competition. Although Ireland's finances remain healthy thanks to qualification for the T20 World Cup, Irish cricket has not been able to attract the kind of bilateral tours or matches that would provide real momentum. It is clear that Malahide have only hosted a Test in the first edition in 2018, with each of their next seven matches being played away.
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Teams like Ireland will be pushed further into the margins as teams prioritize the six series that make up each cycle of the World Test Championship. India, for example, will always have home or away series against England and Australia in each cycle. South Africa remain formidable domestically, but West Indies have been invited on the basis of nostalgia. Even Bangladesh and Afghanistan, home to millions of passionate cricket fans, are given priority over Ireland, where cricket lags far behind their great rugby union teams.
It doesn't help that the name no longer rolls off the tongue. Afghanistan has Rashid Khan. Ireland once had Eoin Morgan, Ed Joyce and Boyd Rankin, all of whom were good enough to eventually play for England. The current vintage has captain Andy Balbirnie and belligerent Paul Stirling. Both are 33 years old and have been active for over 10 years. Andy McBrin, another player in his final World Cup adventure in 2015, is also 30 years old.
Gun pace bowler Mark Adair won the match with 8-95. Abu Dhabi pitches are usually not a bowler's paradise. These important spells speak of a person with a fairly high skill level. However, he has remained under the radar as he cannot bowl with the Virat Kohlis and Rohit Sharmas of the world.
For nearly a decade, Ireland were cricket's favorite underdogs, possessing considerable attacking power. In recent years, other upstart teams have taken over the competition. It's not just Afghanistan or the Netherlands. Teams such as Namibia, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Nepal and Uganda have qualified for this summer's T20 World Cup and have been praised for their progress.
For Irish cricket to return to its 'best of the rest' stage, it needs to ensure it outperforms those countries in North America. It is helpful that they are grouped with India and Pakistan. For the players, there is no greater spotlight or stage than this. And by returning to the hemisphere where the first big steps of their journey took place, perhaps they can conjure up another Sabina Park.
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