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CRICKET ROADSHOWS

Week 3 Review - 25 May, Lisburn Roadshow takes on an Irish hew

The Cricket Roadshow was imbued with a temporary Irish hew this week as Saturday's morning programme was broadcast live from Lisburn CC, just south of Belfast.

In addition to the usual blend of reviews, previews, Test squad announcements and player features, the Roadshow also added history to its growing portfolio this week by giving a speed lesson about the game's development on the "Emerald Isle", revisiting the national team's playing highlight and quashing a few myths in the process.

Viewers were informed that cricket initially spread to Ireland courtesy of the English military, with the regiments based near Phoenix Park establishing Dublin club Phoenix CC way back in 1830.

Cricket has always managed to cross the sectarian divide with the national team long boasting players from both the north and south as it sought success on the international stage.

To date that has been limited to mostly moderate progress although Ireland's finest hour, in July 1968, has gone down in cricketing folklore. That was when the ever-hospitable hosts stunned a Test weary West Indian team, inserting them on a damp and green wicket before bowling them out for just 25 in a now legendary one-day encounter.

Modern wisdom blames the renowned Irish largess from a night on the tiles the previous evening but Ivan Anderson, who played in the match, said that was unfair on the team.

"I'm sure they had a few Guinness the night before but the real reason was they came over from a really firm track at Lord's," he explained.

That the West Indies even made it to 25 was something of a recovery after they had initially slumped to 13-9.

"There were all sorts of stories about the state of their (the West Indies) health," said ex Ireland captain Mike Halliday, "but basically they put in on a very green and soft wicket."

Nowadays Irish ambitions are more long term, although the West Indian theme remains strong with the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean being the national team's main objective.

South African Adrian Birrell has recently been appointed coach to the current Irish team and he believes 2007 is a realistic target despite Ireland's failure at the ICC qualifying tournament – for the 2003 World Cup - in Toronto last year.

"There is definitely something to build on and I believe that we can go forward and really try and get in to the next World Cup in 2007. I'm pretty sure we can get there. The groundwork has been done in the past," he said.

That optimism was shared by current captain Jim Molins, a London-based investment banker when he's not playing.

"We're confident. We've got a young side and if we can maintain the nucleus of that side that went to Toronto then we can do well," he reasoned.

The Irish theme was continued with Middlesex's Dublin-born Ed Joyce coming under the spotlight in a player profile. The 23-year-old batsman has already hit three centuries this season and is presently averaging more than 54 in first-class cricket.

"I love playing at Lord's, it's absolutely beautiful," said Joyce, who has international ambitions beyond Ireland. "People started asking questions about if I wanted to make a proper career out of cricket I would have to play for England, but if I did I would love it," he said.

Michael Atherton and Dermot Reeve are both certainly fans of his, with Reeve proposing a winter at the National Cricket Academy as preparation for a possible Test cap.

Elsewhere on the programme this week's Masterclass focused on slip catching, with Atherton, Michael Slater and Reeve giving out useful tips for aspiring "slippers".

"I think the set up is really important," said Atherton, a long time incumbent at first slip during his England career. "The most important thing is to be relaxed and balance on the balls of your feet."

His sentiments were echoed by both Reeve and Slater, with Atherton concluding that mental agility was just as important as physical dexterity. "Every slip fielder has to expect every ball to come at them and they must want the ball to come to them," he said.

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