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The best XI from Ireland since '96

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
I am curious to know which XI people would pick (in Tests) if you could select anyone in their prime who has played ODIs for Ireland since 1996 to anyone available now.

I think of Trent Johnston and Eoin Morgan immediately and George Dockrell when you consider 'prime' but others such as Bray, Wilson and Cusack might be options too.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I am curious to know which XI people would pick (in Tests) if you could select anyone in their prime who has played ODIs for Ireland since 1996 to anyone available now.

I think of Trent Johnston and Eoin Morgan immediately and George Dockrell when you consider 'prime' but others such as Bray, Wilson and Cusack might be options too.
Wilson's already playing in this Test, lol.

I always considered Cusack to be more of an ODI specialist, especially with his bowling - lots of slower balls, good yorker, was used at the death even when he wasn't bowling beforehand, etc. Mooney would've been a better Test player than him, especially in that little golden period that was after his batting improvement but before his bowling dropped off. Mooney had an awesome ICup record for Ireland too - averaged 40 with the bat and 23 with the ball in 17 games.

He, Dockrell and McCallan would probably all be competing for Kane's spot, assuming Johnston took Thompson's. Morgan would be in for Balbirnie, and I guess Botha would be pushing Wilson and Kev O'Brien for a batting spot. I'd probably have him just missing out, but those five First Class tons do kind of put Kev and Wilson to shame a bit.

1 Porterfield
2 Stirling
3 Joyce
4 Morgan
5 O'Brien
6 O'Brien/Botha
7 Wilson/Botha
8 Johnston
9 McCallan/Mooney/Dockrell
10 Rankin
11 Murtagh
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Yeah that Wilson call wasn't the best.

I think Stirling vs Bray is interesting. I am curious to see how the little guy goes with the bat in this Test as he definitely seems more suited for white ball cricket. TBH the more I think about it Jeremy Bray opens for me.

1 JP Bray
2 WTS Porterfield
3 EC Joyce
4 NJ O'Brien
5 EJG Morgan
6 KJ O'Brien
7 GC Wilson
8 DT Johnston
9 TJ Murtagh
10 GH Dockrell
11 WB Rankin
 

AndyZaltzHair

Hall of Fame Member
1 Porterfield
2 Stirling
3 Joyce
4 Morgan
5 O'Brien
6 O'Brien/Botha
7 Wilson/Botha
8 Johnston
9 McCallan/Mooney/Dockrell
10 Rankin
11 Murtagh
Basically this except that Kevin O'Brien and Dockrell are lockins for me because probably that I have seen them playing
 

turnstyle

State 12th Man
I know we always see the past with rose tinted spectacles and all but there must be room in the middle order for Dekker Curry
 

Firebreaker

Banned
Dockrell was such a good bowler even in WC 2015 dont know what happened with him since then and looks like a good batsmen now
 

Uppercut

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Wilson's already playing in this Test, lol.

I always considered Cusack to be more of an ODI specialist, especially with his bowling - lots of slower balls, good yorker, was used at the death even when he wasn't bowling beforehand, etc. Mooney would've been a better Test player than him, especially in that little golden period that was after his batting improvement but before his bowling dropped off. Mooney had an awesome ICup record for Ireland too - averaged 40 with the bat and 23 with the ball in 17 games.

He, Dockrell and McCallan would probably all be competing for Kane's spot, assuming Johnston took Thompson's. Morgan would be in for Balbirnie, and I guess Botha would be pushing Wilson and Kev O'Brien for a batting spot. I'd probably have him just missing out, but those five First Class tons do kind of put Kev and Wilson to shame a bit.

1 Porterfield
2 Stirling
3 Joyce
4 Morgan
5 O'Brien
6 O'Brien/Botha
7 Wilson/Botha
8 Johnston
9 McCallan/Mooney/Dockrell
10 Rankin
11 Murtagh
Botha's bowling was crazy good for us. T20i average of 9, that spell of 5/2 off 8 overs against Pakistan in the World Cup. Obviously wouldn't expect it to translate particularly well to tests, but the chance it comes off is probably worth more than the difference between his and Wilson's batting, especially at home.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Botha's bowling was crazy good for us. T20i average of 9, that spell of 5/2 off 8 overs against Pakistan in the World Cup. Obviously wouldn't expect it to translate particularly well to tests, but the chance it comes off is probably worth more than the difference between his and Wilson's batting, especially at home.
Yeah fair call. He didn't really bowl much at all in the ICup games he played for Ireland -- a big chunk of First Class cricket that I feel is being under-appreciated as some sort of pointer to how these guys might've travelled in Tests -- but he scored lots of runs, and with it being a 50/50 call between him and Wilson on batting anyway and Niall definitely keeping, Botha would probably sneak in there. Definitely an upgrade as fifth bowler over Kev anyway.
 

TheSilverFox

Cricket Spectator
1 Porterfield
2 Bray
3 Joyce
4 Morgan
5 O'Brien
6 O'Brien
7 Botha
8 Johnston
9 McCallan/Dockrell
10 Rankin
11 Murtagh

This is my Test XI.

Depends on which Spinner you fancy at the time.

Wouldn't see Wilson or Mooney getting into the Test XI but would consider Wilson over N O'Brien as wicketkeeper for ODIs.
 

TheJediBrah

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I don't know if Johnston definitely gets in on talent alone. But he'd probably make the side for sure just on his leadership/tactical ability and because he's the type of player that really stands up under pressure.
 

morgieb

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I don't know if Johnston definitely gets in on talent alone. But he'd probably make the side for sure just on his leadership/tactical ability and because he's the type of player that really stands up under pressure.
Nah Johnston was clearly Ireland's best bowler when he was playing. Did do very poorly at domestic level though unlike Rankin or Murtagh, but he's far and away ahead of any other bowler Ireland have had in modern history.
 

Uppercut

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His handling of pressure and leadership were so memorable that his talent is a bit underrated. Sort of like a cricketing Roy Keane. Though, uh, maybe a bit less talented than that...
 

TheJediBrah

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Nah Johnston was clearly Ireland's best bowler when he was playing. Did do very poorly at domestic level though unlike Rankin or Murtagh, but he's far and away ahead of any other bowler Ireland have had in modern history.
This is what I was going off, never saw him much for Ireland but he was pretty underwhelming when he got a game for NSW
 

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