Ireland needs to unearth more 'match-winners' to show clear progression
Ireland continues to make an impact on the world stage. The recent tour including had plenty of positives.
In the T20 World Cup Ireland had West Indies struggling but then lost its way. In the England match Ireland made England struggle and with Niall O'Brien looking in great touch appeared well capable of winning before the rains intervened. In George Dockrell we look to have unearthed another gem. It is clear Ireland's fitness levels and fielding were excellent. Team spirit seems fantastic.
However there are some reasons to be concerned. When we aren't putting our first XI on the field we are much less formidable. Apart from the 9 wicket victory against Trinidad other results in the lead up to the World Cup weren't impressive. Afghanistan are on our tail. And last but not least, the ICC continue to try it seems to make life as difficult as possible for associate nations with their opaque rules. For example, there are few barriers put in the way of a player moving from an associate to a test nation - the barriers just apply the other way around. So while Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan can play for Ireland one day and England the next, Ed Joyce has to wait until 4 years from his last England match before he can start to play for Ireland again.
While the latter is an issue for the administrators of Cricket Ireland to tackle, the other concerns mean we have to take a close hard look at how Ireland could significantly improve its on-field performance in time for the 2011 World Cup.
One area we need to address, in my view, is the strength and depth of the squad. We should be aiming for a scenario where the 'A' team is almost as strong as the team itself. This is a long way from being the case today.
We need to be taking 15 players to the 2011 World Cup who we absolutely believe can be the key to winning a World Cup match. The three reserves should be in that category as well. And allowing for injury, retirements, loss of form, ICC intransigence and defections (!) we should have at least another, say, 7 who fall into that category. That makes 25. Sounds like a tall order?
Well the good news is that we have three proven match-winners at World Cup level already - Niall O'Brien, Andre Botha and Trent Johnston.
Then there are guys in the current squad who in my view have the potential to be a World Cup match-winner: Stirling, Porterfield, Wilson, Kevin O'Brien, Cusack, Dockrell, Rankin, and Connell.
Add to that list, Regan West, Ed Joyce, Hamish Marshall and dare I say it Kyle McCallan, we have now 15 of the 25. A solid platform on which to build.
I am not sure how John Mooney can be a match-winner for Ireland being played, as he has been, as a specialist batsman coming in at 9?
In the case of Andrew White, I think the coach sees him as a useful bits and pieces player. If he is picked in a vital match he may not even be given a bowl and is likely to be batting well down the order. I think he needs a more clearly defined and responsible role.
The way the team management utilise both John Mooney and Andrew White is a concern in my view.
Still, while John may have established a reputation as a specialist T20 player at international level, no one will work harder at his game to make sure he is considered for the 2011 50 over World Cup. On the sub-Continental tracks Andy White's off-spin could be a very useful option. Both are fantastic servants of Irish cricket and deserve a place in any preliminary squad in my view.
So where go to after that? Well three mature players we need to consider immediately are Albert van der Merwe, Rory McCann and Anton Scholtz.
The first two were in the preliminary squad of 27 submitted to the ICC prior to the T20 World Cup so I hope they will be given a decent opportunity this summer.
However, probably the classiest player (bar none) in Irish club cricket in recent seasons is Anton Scholtz. Man of the Match is the 2009 Irish Cup Final, Scholtz, captain of Leinster CC, is a very classy batsman, a useful off-spinner and excellent fielder. Would he have the potential to turn a World Cup match in our favour? Absolutely. And I am aware from a source close to him in that last couple of weeks that he 'would love to be part of the Ireland set-up if given the opportunity'. Scholtz isn't the most vocal guy around which possibly doesn't do him any favours in pushing himself to the top of the queue but he's a class act on the field which, after all, is what matters.
Nigel Jones is still an unknown quantity. He needs to give him a proper opportunity to see what he can do.
There are former internationals or players who have been on the fringes of the squad in the past who may be rejuvenated and still young enough to come back into contention. Twenty seven year old Kenny Carroll of Railway Union immediately comes to mind. He has started the season in blistering form. Then there are former internationals such as Lisburn captain Greg Thompson (still only 22) and Merrion stalwart Dom Joyce (28).
Morne Bauer *of Cork Harlequins and Phoenix is another possibility, as are Andrew Poynter *and Phil Eaglestone* amongst others.
The experience with 17 year old George Dockrell would suggest that though you don't want to expose younger players too early, there is truth in the old adage,' if you're good enough you're old enough.'
Of the younger players, Sussex's Craig Young is perhaps an obvious choice. But there are many others who depending on their form this season could come into contention. Players like Graham McDonnell, Ben Ackland, Lee Nelson, Andy Balbirnie and James Shannon are perhaps the clear frontrunners but an open mind should be kept for the likes of the precocious Andy McBrine* from Donemana.
So while the situation is fairly fluid (as form or injury etc this season may rule some out of contention and force others into contention), here is a provisional squad of 30 which could form the basis of a 'panel' from which to ultimately select the final 15:
N Jones, A van der Merwe, A Scholtz, R McCann, K Carroll, D Joyce, G Thompson, R West, E Joyce, H Marshall, K McCallan, C Young, G McDonnell, B Ackland, A Balbirnie, L Nelson, J Shannon, N O'Brien, J Mooney, A White, A Botha, T Johnston, P Stirling, W Porterfield, G Wilson, K O'Brien, A Cusack, G Dockrell, B Rankin, P Connell,
If we are serious of reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup then we have got to start broadening our outlook. We know the first team very well - strengths, potential, limitations etc - at this stage. The current first team squad in my view would not be capable of reaching a World Cup semi-final .
The key may well be, can we unearth a few more 'Dockrells' and in the process keep everyone on their toes, create more competition for places and significantly raise the bar before the 2011 World Cup?
Next up for Ireland is an Ireland 'A' match against Sussex from 8-10 June (in Sussex) followed by the RSA Challenge versus Australia at Clontarf on June 17th
*omitted from the panel of 30 listed
Liam Rooney
Copyright: Cover Point
Upcoming Ireland A and Ireland Fixtures in 2010
Ireland A Schedule
8-10 June: Sussex XI v Ireland A, Sussex
13-19 July: ICC European Division 1 Championships, Jersey
3-5 August: Ireland A v MCC, Dublin
18-20 August: Hampshire XI v Ireland A, Hampshire
Ireland Schedule
17 June (ODI): Ireland v Australia, Clontarf
23 June (1 day): Ireland v West Indies A, Stormont
25 June (1 day): Ireland v West Indies A, Stormont
29 June (WCL warmup): Ireland v Canada, Voorburg, Netherlands
1 July (WCL Division 1): Ireland v Kenya, Voorburg, Netherlands
3 July (WCL Division 1): Ireland v Afghanistan, VOC Rotterdam, Netherlands
5 July (WCL Division 1): Ireland v Scotland, Voorburg, Netherlands
7 July (WCL Division 1): Ireland v Canada, VRA Amsterdam, Netherlands
9 July (WCL Division 1): Ireland v Netherlands, VRA Amsterdam, Netherlands
10 July (WCL Division 1): playoffs, Netherlands
15 July (ODI): Ireland v Bangladesh, Stormont
16 July (ODI): Ireland v Bangladesh, Stormont
11-14 August (ICC Intercontinental Cup): Ireland v Netherlands, Ireland venue TBC
16 August (ODI): Ireland v Netherlands, Ireland venue TBC
18 August (ODI): Ireland v Netherlands, Ireland venue TBC
1-4 September (ICC Intercontinental Cup): Canada v Ireland, Toronto
7 September (ODI): Canada v Ireland, Toronto
8 September (ODI): Canada v Ireland, Toronto
10 September (ODI): Canada v Ireland, Toronto
29 September (ODI): Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
1 October (ODI): Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
2 October (ODI): Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
6-9 October (ICC Intercontinental Cup): Zimbabwe v Ireland, South Africa
