Ireland Vs Namibia Intercontinental Cup

[andy24]

THought i put this up for anyone interested. Namibia Not goping two badly 3 for 81

[maehara]

::waves his ICU membership card::

90/4 now. On recent performances, Ireland should win this, but Namibia ran them very close in their last Cup meeting last month. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[andy24]

Ireland in a bit of trouble 5 for 70. Snyman claiming all 5

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Quite impressive for Snyman. Snyman a chance for all 10 wickets here...

[maehara]

Cusack and Johnston save the day - 124 partnership and counting. Was looking decidedly worrying until they got together.

This is a 5-day match, so I doubt time will be an issue. If Ireland can hold on to get a first-innings lead of some sort, then we'll have a match on.

[maehara]

Oooh, bit of a Zimbabwe Collapse there. The Ireland inning's looking decidedly poor apart from Cusack & Johnston. 195 all out gives Namibia a 55-run innings lead.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

9/195 for Ireland, but Namibia would have to have the upper hand still.

This is a 5-day match, so I doubt time will be an issue. If Ireland can hold on to get a first-innings lead of some sort, then we'll have a match on.

It's good that they make the final 5 days, it will give it the feeling of a Test match. I see they are playing at Port Elizabeth, which might (??) attract a few more people than Windhoek.

The ICC need to find a way to make the Intercontinental Cup a huge event though. I don't mean on the scale of an Ashes Test or the World Cup final, but it would be nice if the cricketers could be rewarded for a seasons work by playing in front of 10,000 people. When would Namibia or Ireland ever get a chance to play in front of a crowd?

I've got no idea how it could be achieved, but it would probably have to be in conjunction with the BCCI... India's probably the only country in the world that could get people into a stadium for 2 neutral teams. Maybe they could have double headers, ie the Intercontinental Cup game in the day followed by a Twenty20 at night and hope people arrive early. Maybe if people like the cricket on offer they will begin attending the Cup match on its own merits...

[maehara]

9/195 for Ireland, but Namibia would have to have the upper hand still.

1/2 says otherwise

When would Namibia or Ireland ever get a chance to play in front of a crowd?

Well, Ireland got a full house of 8,000 out at Stormont for the first Ireland v England ODI, which was a really good day out. The Irish crowds are fickle, though - 1-2,000 is more normal for an ODI against a full member, a few hundred if they're lucky for associate matches in Belfast. Three men and a dog for the Friends Provident Trophy (ECB one-day tourney that Ireland and Scotland play in). Still good numbers when you think cricket's very much a minority sport here.

India's probably the only country in the world that could get people into a stadium for 2 neutral teams.

Sadly true. Probably get a better crowd out than either side at home, even - but even with that, it's a shame they can't come up with a format for the final that would let fans of the side see them played. I'd love to watch the final, but I'm not about to traipse to South Africa for it - and it's not being televised, so it's almost forgotten about anyway. If ever there was a case for the ICC doing some live streaming of their own, this is it...

[brmtaylor.com admin]

A crowd of 8,000 vs England is actually very good.

If ever there was a case for the ICC doing some live streaming of their own, this is it...

True. Even if it was just a 1 camera thing over the bowlers shoulder - which would cost nothing to set up - it would be better than nothing.

1.5 Rankin to AJ Burger, no run, beaten just outside the off stick. THE BATSMAN GOES WALK-A-BOUT

Namibia 2/14... even a 200 run target for the Irish will cause problems. It seems from the low scores that the pitch is rubbish, and I doubt it will get better as the match wears on.

Niall O'Brien (Ireland, wk)
Saqib Ali (UAE)
Andre Botha (Ireland, capt)
Gerrie Snyman (Namibia)
Kevin O'Brien (Ireland)
Thomas Odoyo (Kenya)
Sunil Dhaniram (Canada)
Kola Burger (Namibia)
Louis Klazinga (Namibia)
Hiren Varayia (Kenya)
Dwayne Leverock (Bermuda)
12th man: Peter Connell (Ireland)

That is the ICC associate dream team. No Tikolo, no ten Doeschate, no Hemp. Maybe the standards of associate cricket are rising.

[maehara]

Ireland at 145/1 in their 2nd innings, with another 67 required to win. I'd like to think that shouldn't be a problem...