Irish Examiner view: Kevin O'Brien has truly earned the epithet 'legend' 

All-rounder Kevin O'Brien, Ireland's most-capped sportsperson, has helped put Irish cricket on the world map

Kevin O'Brien celebrating with Niall O'Brien after Ireland defeated England in the ICC World Cup in Bengaluru, India in 2011. Along the way, Kevin racked up the fastest World Cup century ever. Picture: Tom Shaw/Getty 

The phrase ‘great Irish cricketer’ might appear to be an oxymoron given the minority nature of the sport here, but the news of the retirement of all-rounder Kevin O’Brien after a 16-year career will bring forth obvious and correct opinions about his greatness.

Cricket in this country has not had many highs down the years, but those few the sport has enjoyed all featured the Dubliner in a starring role.

O’Brien leaves the game having appeared for Ireland in 153 one-day internationals, 110 T20 international games, and three test matches. He has earned a total of 389 total caps, making him this country’s most capped sportsperson.

He is also one of the few people in the game to have recorded a century in each of its competitive formats.

He leaves Irish cricket having recorded a total of 9,048 runs, with an average of 27.84, while he also took a total of 276 wickets, with his best spell recorded against Canada in 2010 when he took five wickets at a cost of just 39 runs.

O’Brien was central to Irish cricket hitting world headlines in 2007 when he scored the winning runs in the World Cup win against Pakistan in Kingston, Jamaica. O’Brien also scored the fastest World Cup century ever against England in the World Cup in 2011, ending up with a total of 113 in a famous win in Bengaluru.

Along with his brother Niall and others, he was responsible for bringing full test cricket to our shores — we will play England in a full test next year — and his is truly a career which deserves the epithet “great”.