Irish optimistic ahead of World Cricket League

Ireland’s preparations for the ICC World Cricket League in Nairobi could not have gone better, according to wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O’Brien.

“Everything’s going smoothly at the moment, we are gearing up to the World Cricket League with these practice matches and then hopefully we’ll be peaking in Nairobi and stay that way for the World Cup in the West Indies,” said O’Brien.

“This time we have spent in South Africa has been really beneficial. Adi (Birrell) is getting us into good shape so that we will hit the ground running in Kenya and put in a strong performance against Scotland in our first game.

“If we can win that that will set us up nicely and we’ll be trying hard to win the league or at least get to the final so that we qualify for the Twenty20 (the ICC Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa in September).”

Niall O’Brien’s father, Brendan, won 52 caps for Ireland between 1966 and 1981. O’Brien snr also played professional soccer for Dublin club Shelbourne and interprovincial hockey for Leinster. Niall’s sister, Ciara, is a regular member of the Ireland women’s hockey team and his brother, Kevin, is another member of the current Ireland cricket squad.

Kevin is part of a select group of players to take a wicket with his first ball on ODI debut when he had Andrew Strauss caught in Ireland’s match against England in Stormont last June.

“It’s great to have Kevvy in the squad and he has been playing very well,” said Niall.

“As far as I’m concerned it’s more enjoyable to play with him and we both want to go out and play well for our dad,” he said.

The O’Briens are not the only set of brothers in the Ireland side. Seam bowlers Paul and John Mooney are part of another cricket-crazy family, hailing from the North County club in Dublin, which has dominated domestic cricket in Leinster for several years.

North County also boasts all-rounder Andre Botha and talented young left-hander Eoin Morgan in the Ireland WCL Div. 1 and ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) squad, although Morgan now plies his trade at Lord’s where he is under contract with English county side Middlesex.

The Irish will be led by seam-bowling all-rounder Trent Johnston, who learned his cricket in New South Wales, but many years ago pledged his future with his adopted country.

Birrell has demanded that every player works hard on his fielding and it has batting ability spread throughout the squad, even among players who can expect to be batting at nine, 10 or even 11.

Ireland (squad): Trent Johnston (captain), Andre Botha, Jeremy Bray, Kenny Carroll, Eoin Morgan, William Porterfield, Kyle McCallan, Peter Gillespie, Andrew White, David Langford-Smith, Niall O’Brien, Kevin O’Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Mooney, John Mooney.