*Official* Pakistan in Ireland

[Uppercut]

Yeah, this.

There was talk maybe 10 or so years ago about if Ireland ever became a competitive nation (this is going back to the daaaark days of losing to minor counties) about setting up camp in Spain and playing there during the early months. I think it was around the time of the Morocco experiment. The subject popped up once or twice then disappeared. It sounds silly at first but if you go to a home match you'd be lucky to see a dog let alone it's owner attend but when we play away, there seems to be more of a following. Anyway, it's never going to happen now but i'd go for a game or two and some sun along the Iberian coast.

The games I've been to in Belfast have all had a decent crowd tbf. No TV coverage is a major issue though.

 

[turnstyle]

The games I've been to in Belfast have all had a decent crowd tbf. No TV coverage is a major issue though.

The thing stuck in my mind was the reports of poor crowds for the West Indies, India and South Africa tours a few years back. Can't remember if anyone was there for NZ debacle. Back in Sweden that week otherwise i'd go. Agree about the lack of TV coverage. Do RTE cover anything?

 

[Furball]

The games I've been to in Belfast have all had a decent crowd tbf. No TV coverage is a major issue though.

The BBC have a lot to answer for. Although they did get burned in 2005 when Australia came up to Edinburgh (back in the good old days when we were the number 1 European associate) and were met with a traditional Scottish summer monsoon.

Incidentally, Sri Lanka are playing Scotland and Ireland in a tri-series up here after the England tour (IIRC the games are either in Edinburgh or Aberdeen.) Downside is that it's only 1 game against each of us, but again, better than nothing.

edit: tri-series is in Edinburgh - we've got a 3 match T20I series in Aberdeen vs the Netherlands in June.

It's pretty ****ing frustrating that Ireland are getting a 2 match series vs Pakistan and an ODI against England, as well as the tri-series when all we're getting is the tri-series.

 

[Edged&Taken]

Misbah replaces Afridi as captain

Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Salman (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam

Squad: William Porterfield, Alex Cusack, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, Niall McDonnell, John Mooney, Kevin O`Brien, Niall O`Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Albert Van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson.

 

[salman85]

I actually hope Ireland beat Pakistan here.**** Ijaz Butt.

 

[Migara]

Great but Belfast in May isn't so great.

South Africa have no international cricket until October. CSA in the light of the Choketeas WC performance should arrange some additional ODIs against the likes of Ireland and the Netherlands or Afghanistan in Kabul.

Meh, I'll choose Karachchi every day of the week over Kabul. A bomb might go off in any time in both places, but in Kabul I am sure, running over by a bus is a rarer occurrence than being resting in pieces.

 

[Blaze 18]

Misbah replaces Afridi as captain

Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Salman (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam

Squad: William Porterfield, Alex Cusack, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, Niall McDonnell, John Mooney, Kevin O`Brien, Niall O`Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Albert Van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson.

Is this just for the Ireland series, or will Misbah continue to captain even after it?

 

[NasserFan207]

One of our players (Mcdonnell) is a 31 year old school teacher whose been randomly drafted in.

Awesome.

 

[Howe_zat]

Haha, nice.

Ireland best have their county players released.

 

[IrishOpener]

Ireland's county players have been released, it shows how far Ireland have come that we get to have the use of our county players,

I hope for a close series and a 2-0 win for Ireland , we do need Joyce, Porterfield, and the O'Briens to step up and get us runs,

@IrishOpener, do you know much about Mcdonnell?, is he likely to come in at 3/4/5/6?, is he cover?, how good is he? , if you know mate ...

 

[irelandcricket]

McDonnell is a very good player. Has been scoring runs for Strabane regularly. All local fixtures on the weekend of the Pakistan games have been called off so it shows just how much they want to get a big crowd at these games. It has caused mayhem to the fixtures over here though.

 

[IndiaLose]

Ireland has a thing or two to prove to ICC. If Pak take them lightly, I am afraid Pakistanis' will have to lap up more embarassment.

 

[smash84]

Ireland has a thing or two to prove to ICC. If Pak take them lightly, I am afraid Pakistanis' will have to lap up more embarassment.

embarrassment is nothing new to the pak cricket establishment......and neither is it ever enough

 

[IrishOpener]

McDonnell is a very good player. Has been scoring runs for Strabane regularly. All local fixtures on the weekend of the Pakistan games have been called off so it shows just how much they want to get a big crowd at these games. It has caused mayhem to the fixtures over here though.

Where is he likely to come in?, the first four is decided I'm sure...

 

[Prince EWS]

Where is he likely to come in?, the first four is decided I'm sure...

Yeah, reckon he could miss out. I'm thinking:

1. Porterfield
2. Stirling
3. Joyce
4. O'Brien
5. Wilson
6. O'Brien
7. Cusack
8. Mooney
9. Johnston
10. van der Merwe
11. Rankin

I could only see him taking van der Merwe's place in that lineup but even then he'd bat 7 at the highest and I don't think having Johnston come in at 10 is really needed. I just hope White doesn't play tbh.

 

[Howe_zat]

Yeah, reckon he could miss out. I'm thinking:

1. Porterfield
2. Stirling
3. Joyce
4. O'Brien
5. Wilson
6. O'Brien
7. Cusack
8. Mooney
9. Johnston
10. van der Merwe
11. Rankin

I could only see him taking van der Merwe's place in that lineup but even then he'd bat 7 at the highest and I don't think having Johnston come in at 10 is really needed.

Is Dockrell not playing?

 

[Prince EWS]

Is Dockrell not playing?

Nup. Not sure why, but he wasn't named in the squad. Perhaps he's injured.

He's obviously a pretty big loss but he's covered reasonably easily. VDM is Ireland's thirteenth best player if you like (behind the other ten I named, Dockrell and Botha (who is also out)) - as promising as Dockrell is, Ireland have decent depth to replace him with. Replacing one of the quicks or one of the batsmen would've been a bit more challenging for the team balance given Botha's out.

 

[irelandcricket]

Dockrell has a shoulder injury I think but I may be wrong. He is injured though. Can't see McDonnell getting in but it is good to see a player breaking into the squad based on club form.

 

[turnstyle]

If any of these matches actually get played (there looks like some rain about this week) fingers crossed.

Honestly, the best thing to come out of this series is that all the county players have been released. Really shows you the strides that have been made over the last 3 years. Also happy they've finally got rid of Poynter. Next should be Jones.

Oh, and Botha announced his retirement a few weeks back.

 

[Prince EWS]

If any of these matches actually get played (there looks like some rain about this week) fingers crossed.

Honestly, the best thing to come out of this series is that all the county players have been released. Really shows you the strides that have been made over the last 3 years. Also happy they've finally got rid of Poynter. Next should be Jones.

Oh, and Botha announced his retirement a few weeks back.

Ahh, dire. I thought he was just injured.