Irish Women’s Cricket Captain, Laura Delany and Irish Men’s Cricket player, Harry Tector both talked to thecity.ie Andrew Blair White about their aspirations for the 2021 season. They also discuss what it’s like to be an elite sports player in the current COVID 19 restrictions and how this time has helped them make key adjustments and refinements to their game.
Tag: cricket
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Watch: Life under lockdown –cricketers prepare for a new season
Cork Harelquins Cricket Club, June 2018. Photo: Ted Williamson TheCity.ie reporter and Munster interprovincial cricketer Ruadhán Jones has been looking at how cricket clubs and professional teams are preparing for the season under lockdown. He spoke to Ted Williamson, Munster Red’s interprovincial head coach and coach Cork Harlequins CC, and Kieran Sheffron — Munster’s strength and conditioning coach.
Sports seasons have been cut-off, curtailed, or simply cancelled as a result of the coronavirus. As we enter the summer months, experts have warned that a return to contact sports is “a long way off”.
But not all hope is lost. Speaking to RTE, Dr Paddy Considine — a sports economist — said that “there will be a hierarchy. Individual sports will have an advantage, while team sports or contact sports will be under pressure.”
On top of this, Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy said that non-contact, outdoor sports will be “a priority” when restrictions are lifted.
For the likes of the GAA, soccer and rugby, this still makes a summer season unlikely. However, some non-contact outdoor sports have an outside chance of playing a shortened season – this includes cricket.
As a member of an interprovincial panel, we have to do everything we can to be ready to hit the ground running. But it’s not all about the professionals – clubs are working hard to keep their members involved and active.
To find out how teams and players are preparing, I spoke to Ted Williamson, head coach of the Munster Reds and coach at his local club Cork Harlequins CC, and to Kieran Sheffron, Munster’s strength and conditioning coach.
Life under lockdown – cricketers prepare for a new season
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‘Instead of focusing on war, there’s now something fun for our youngsters to think of’ – the rise of Afghan cricket against the odds
Afghan reporter Diva Patang poses for a photo at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Photo: Diva Patang By Cameron Weymes
Despite enduring over 40 years of conflict, Afghanistan is currently ranked seventh in the world in T20 cricket.
Cricket has only become popular in Afghanistan since the 1990s, when Afghan refugees played the sport while living in Pakistan.
The Afghan team qualified for their first Cricket World Cup in 2015 and beat Ireland to qualify for the 2019 tournament.
The team has also beaten established cricketing nations such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies in one-day internationals.
The effect of the team’s success on people back home has been massive.
Cricket in one of Kabul’s parks. Photo: Cameron Weymes “Instead of focusing on the problems in the country such as war there’s now something fun for our youngsters to think of,” said Diva Patang, a reporter for the Afghan news station RTA.
“Children now have role models that are examples for themselves. When you ask youngsters in Afghanistan who they want to be when they grow up, most will say one of the international players such as Rashid Khan or Mujeeb Ur Rahman,” she added.
The Afghan constitution states that the country is home to 14 ethnic groups, the main ones being Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek.
According to Diva, when the cricket team is playing the whole country is behind them, regardless of ethnicity.
“Everyone supports them. President Ashraf Ghani even cites the cricket team as an example of Afghans being able to work together.”
“All over the country you’ll find children playing cricket at school and on the streets,” she said.
Street cricket in Kabul. Photo: Cameron Weymes The recent Afghan presidential election saw a turnout of less than 25% and took five months to declare a winner.
In addition, the Afghan government has been sidelined from the peace talks between the US and the Taliban, which resulted in agreement in late February.
For the Afghan people, fatigued by war and politics, cricket is a welcome break.
“If you tweet something about Afghan politics and something about Afghan cricket, you will see the difference in interest levels among the people,” said Diva.
“For Afghans cricket means a lot. If there is something wrong with the cricket, they take it personally. There will be anger and demonstrations.”
“There’s interest in other sports in Afghanistan, but cricket is number one,” she added.
Irish rivalry
Afghanistan will play Ireland in India in a three-part T20 international starting on March 6, 2020 at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, India.
The teams are very familiar with one another having played 26 times at one-day internationals, winning 13 each.
However, it has been more one-sided at T20, with Afghanistan winning 12 of 15 encounters between the two.
“Lately Afghanistan has been very successful against Ireland. The Afghan team has become very familiar with the Irish team and their tactics so I think Afghanistan is in a good position,” said Diva.
“Our team has spent a lot of time in India and familiarised themselves with the hot weather. Speaking to the players myself, they say they are very keen and I think it will be a good match to watch,” she concluded.
Flying kites during Newroz celebrations in Kabul. Photo: Cameron Weymes -
Ireland cricketers set for first test match next year
Ireland will make cricketing history in May of next year when they take on Pakistan in their first ever Test match, it has been confirmed today.
The news came after months of speculation and was finally confirmed at the International Cricket Council meeting in Auckland this week.
“We are excited to welcome Pakistan to Ireland for our inaugural Test match next year,” Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom said. “It has been our wish to make our Test debut in front of our own fans within twelve months of becoming a Test nation, and against a big team, so I’m delighted.”
Ireland and Afghanistan became the 11th and 12th teams to be accepted into the exclusive club that is Test cricket in June. Neither side have made their debuts in the Test arena yet but Ireland will change that next May.
Ireland captain William Porterfield welcomed the news saying: “Test cricket is the pinnacle of our sport and I know how much this game will mean to not only the players but all involved with Irish cricket. It’ll be another step on what has been an incredible journey for our sport in a relatively short passage of time.”
Ireland have punched well above their weight in one day international cricket over the past decade, beating the likes of Zimbabwe, the West Indies, England and famously at the 2007 World Cup, next May’s opponents, Pakistan.
No venue has yet been set for the historic clash but Malahide will be the heavy favourite to host the event. Belfast and Clontarf have also been touted as possible venues.
By Leo McGuinn
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