Ireland faced a barrage of them in the recently completed tournament in Dubai and came out with yet another clean bill after an emphatic win over old adversaries Afghanistan in the final.
You can't win all Twenty20 matches with ease as the nature of the game throws up surprises, but the fact that Ireland won all their games including the close encounters shows how far this squad has come under National Coach Phil Simmons and the self-belief they have in their own ability. This was illustrated in the major contributions by virtually every player, and in the quality of the squad as some of the established players of recent years were "rested" and their replacements added strength to the team. This hasn't happened by accident, and although the Coach has his critics for staying close to his "inner cabinet" he has meticulously prepared for the future with a planned integration of players who have been on the fringes for some time. The facts speak for themselves-why would the Coach change a successful formula when every Ireland match is a cup final and why would he gamble when he knows his best players better than anyone? Long gone are the days when Ireland caps were handed out speculatively-these days you have to be better than the incumbent to break into the team.
That said, it is refreshing to see how strong the squad has developed and while Twenty20 cricket is not the road to Test cricket, it does show the strength of Irish representative cricket that we have moved a long way from a small nucleus of 11-14 players to a squad of virtually 20-25 players.
Ireland can only play the cards they are dealt by the all powerful ICC, but wins at Twenty20 level and the Inter-Continental Cup will keep us ahead of the pack of Associate Members and knocking on the door for higher recognition. These should be stepping-stones to greater things, but in the insular world of the ICC we have to keep proving a point and earn crumbs from the table the hard way. The Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh will now provide another opportunity?
Congratulations to Phil Simmons, William Porterfield and the Ireland squad on another significant milestone. We are in another world compared to where Ireland was 25 years ago. Let's not forget it.
Finally, an appreciation for the contribution of the retiring Trent Johnston. The big Australian has taken to Irish cricket like a duck to water and his contribution at all types of cricket have been phenomenal. Time has finally caught up with his ageing body, but there was no finer performer in Dubai than the big man and his contribution over the past decade has been immense. Was this the swansong or is there another cameo to follow?
Thanks for the memories Trent.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
