Windies spin doctor offers tips

IRELAND have been given some timely advice on spin ahead of their World Cup Super Eights clash against England from West Indies legend Lance Gibbs.

Ireland’s top spinner Kyle McCallan said he was overjoyed to meet the 72-year-old, who was the first spinner to reach 300 Test wickets.

“It’s always nice to meet one of the legends of the game, and interesting to see the state of his spinning finger,” said McCallan.

“The way he grips the ball is completely alien to the way I grip it. He talked about gripping it hard, spinning it hard. I try to give it a rip but not the way he did.

“But it was a privilege to meet him. He still looks well and is a fit-looking man.”

McCallan admits he is getting his motivation for the next stage of the World Cup from the internet.

“I am reading so many comments at the moment, saying Ireland shouldn’t be in the Super Eights. No matter what you do, people are trying to knock you down. They are saying we have qualified on the basis of one performance,” he told www.cricketeurope4.net.

“Hasn’t everyone? England lost to New Zealand. They are only in the Super Eights because they beat Kenya. They’re all motivating factors for us to go out and perform another upset.”

Ireland, who shocked Pakistan in the first round, meet England in their first Super Eights clash here on Friday.

It will be the second match between Ireland and England in nine months, with England winning in Belfast by 38 runs in June last year.

“We were disappointed at how we bowled against England in Belfast,” said McCallan.

“They haven’t got Marcus Trescothick, who got a big hundred against us, albeit they now have Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, but we didn’t disgrace ourselves in that match and we’ll take that experience into Friday’s game.

“They’ve lost Harmison from that attack and while we cannot be overly-confident going into the game, we can realistically compete with them.”