Aussies had a close victory in the OD series Vs Inja, could’ve been a thriller but didn’t quite get there.
Here’s a gem from 20 years ago, every ball of the Windies record run-chase against if not the greatest Aussie team, still during their era of great dominance.
The battles between Bichell, a very Irish-looking spinner Magill, the great Glen McGrath (with the added spice of an investigation into his bowling action), and three of Windies greatest batsmen, including arguably the best ever, make it worth the long watch.
Plus the bonus of the tunes & crowd-watching between overs. Magill was extremely unlucky not to get at least another couple of wickets, and Lara got away with some sloppy impatient stuff.
Steve Waugh looks very grumpy from an early stage and overall the Aussies look like some of the toughest sportsmen on the planet.
No other spoilers except to say Windies still needed 190 to win in the last session, with a new ball to be taken.
They got 122 runs in the 2nd session. And Chanderpaul going after McGrath in the last couple of overs before tea was a microcosm of the whole thing.
Also of note, how rough the outfield is, like Landsdowne Rd in the Big Jack era…
Ireland were hammered by Bangladesh in the ODI series. Lost heavily in the 1st and 3rd games, saved by the weather in the 2nd game after Bangladesh posted a huge score.
I think they start a 3 match T20 series tomorrow, I think.
It’s tough for us (Ireland) to play in those conditions, even the top sides lose heavily in Asia at times, regardless of form and results elsewhere. The Blackcaps are onto a good thing in some ways in that a good few of their best players are based over there. Even so, they had a rough series there a couple of months ago, and only recovered by the miraculous last day or two of the 2nd test here Vs England. Haven’t looked back since, and clearly the Sri Lankans have suffered in the early autumn NZ conditions.
Not at all sure it’s a good thing for the game overall of course, almost certainly not. Mind you not much was said about players being based in Britain for the past generation either.
Full time professional domestic cricket only came about in the last 20 or 30 years or so in New Zealand. To earn a living before that players had to base themselves in Australia and/or England. Does NZ Cricket use central contracts for their top players?
I don’t know, shall try to look it up. Domestic here is like the AI rugger league, very small following. But actually the national rugger league here is pretty sparsely followed too apart from the major games. So it’s probably just typical of small nations though then you look at the following gah has in Ireland and you realise how phenomenal (and fragile!) that is.
Ireland finished off the T20 series with a comfortable win against Bangladesh, Ireland’s first T20 win away to an Indian subcontinental side.
The IPL began yesterday. The Delhi team, currently in action, are captained by David Warner. I have just seen Warner, spit into his hands and rub them together whilst discussing fielding arrangements with his bowler, before taking the ball from his bowler and rubbing his hands into the ball to, I presume, generate shine. I thought that was banned since COVID.
A good fightback from Ireland’s middle/lower order batsmen means they have avoided an innings defeat in their one-off test away to Bangladesh. To be fair, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker have both posted decent scores in both innings. Ireland recovered 13/4 in their second innings and are now 206/6, a lead of 51 runs. Tector had scores of 50 & 56 while Tucker, out for 37 in his first innings, is currently 90 not out. Hopefully, he can reach a century.
Tucker eventually out for 108. Another wicket also lost before Ireland reached 286/8 at the close, a lead of 131. At least they’ve given themselves something to bowl at, as they say. It would be nice to get a few early Bangladesh wickets and set a bit of panic in. Andy McBrine is 71 not out.
Ah, of course it will.
I can recall the likes of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand getting thumpings when travelling to England for test matches in the 1970’s. In time, I think Ireland can be competitive at test cricket against the likes of Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. But, for, now, I think that there will be several instances of innings defeats.
Hard luck for Balbirnie, out for 95. Lorcan Tucker, a quickfire 78, not out. Stirling retired hurt on 74. Hopefully he can resume his innings tomorrow and either himself or Tucker (or both) can go on and reach a ton.
