When it is a World Cup the passion rises to another level, and while we may lag a little behind our rugby and football peers in showing our zeal, we are in the Top Ten in the world in our sport, and that gives us a place at the highest table when it comes to World Cup competitions. And when you play against the mighty West Indies and England it doesn’t get much higher.
The Twenty20 World Cup 2010 officially gets going today and later this afternoon in Georgetown, Ireland will face off against the West Indies in the first match that counts on this Caribbean trip. Forget all the build up games and narrow defeats as the real purpose of this trip is Twenty20 World Cup, and if ever there was a golden opportunity to cause a sensation, then this is it. The task is daunting, both England the West Indies have players who are mega stars in every form of cricket, but in a one-off 20-overs bash, anything can happen, good or bad!
Georgetown may not be the pick of the more exotic Caribbean cricket destinations, but the city is alive with anticipation, and Guyana is very proud of its role in opening the competition. Georgetown is a rambling old colonial seaport fifty years behind time in some respects, but well ahead in others. The famous old Bourda Cricket Ground remains the home of Georgetown Cricket Club, and has been the scene of may epic cricket matches down the years. Its old stands and dilapidated surrounds show signs of malnutrition, but it remains the trusty old workhorse of Guyanese cricket. But the new stadium at Providence on the outskirts of the city is a much more impressive stadium with all the trappings of modern sports promotion, and a beautiful surface on which to play. Providence is buzzing today in Guyana, and a packed stadium awaits the cricketers and their supporters.
The Irish team is well prepared and ready for the titanic matches that lie ahead. This is a new breed of Irish cricketer, totally alien to the Irish teams of yesteryear, and it shows how far the national team has come in the last few decades. These players are athletic and superbly fit, but above all they are mentally prepared. They may lack the all round strength of the bigger cricket nations in terms of ability and facilities, but they are very professional and focused on their work. And therein lies the huge transformation that has taken place to get to this level, as these players are professionals and playing cricket is their job. Of course it comes with higher levels of expectation, sometimes totally unrealistic, but if we can pull off a shock in these two games, then maybe there will be a follow-up to St Patrick’s Day 2007 and the party of all parties at Ocho Rios.
Unfortunately Irish supporters are light on the ground in Georgetown, although there is an Irish community within the city that has been here for hundreds of years. Maybe they’ll come out of the closet and support their mother country?
Clarence Hiles
Editor
Georgetown, Guyana
