Irish national cricket team

Irish national cricket team
Test status received	2017
First Test - Match	against Pakistan in Malahide , 11 May 2018
First ODI	against England in Belfast , 13th June 2006
First T20I	against Scotland in Belfast , 2nd August 2008
captain	Andrew Balbirnie ( test , ODI , T20 )
Coach	Graham Ford
Official ICC test ranking	12 of 12
Official ICC ODI ranking	11 of 20
Official ICC T20I ranking	12 of 84
World Cup participation	3
First World Cup	2007
Best World Cup result	Super 8 (2008)
World Twenty20 participations	5
First World Twenty20	2009
Best World Twenty20 result	Super 8 (2009)
As of May 26, 2020

The Irish Cricket Team represents the island of Ireland and thus both the Republic of Ireland and the the United Kingdom belonging to Northern Ireland at international matches in cricket . In 1993 the team was accepted as an associate member by the International Cricket Council and has since participated regularly in both the Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 . Ireland has been a full member of the ICC since June 22, 2017.

history

Before joining the ICC

The first international cricket game took place in 1855 against the Gentleman of England in Dublin and was won with 107 runs . There were more games in the years that followed before serious setbacks for the sport on the island in the 1880s. Among other things, the Gaelic Athletic Association had decided that players who played cricket were not allowed to participate in the sports they represented (such as hurling or Gaelic football ). These regulations lasted until 1970. The team has since undertaken numerous tours to the United States and Canada , but was otherwise dependent on top international teams deeming it necessary to visit the island. The annual games against Scotland (from 1909) and the MCC (from 1924) became a fixture on the Irish cricket calendar. This only changed when the team was inducted into the ICC in 1993.

Time as an associate member

One-day internationals

When the team was accepted by the ICC, there was the opportunity to participate in the qualifications for the World Cricket Championship . The first attempt in 1994 failed in the preliminary round to the Netherlands, in 1997 in the decisive game against the selection from Scotland. On the other hand, the qualifying tournament in 2001 was disappointing, when it was only possible to achieve seventh place. It was not until 2005 that they qualified for the 2007 World Cup in front of their home crowd with second place behind Scotland and secured ODI status until 2009. There they managed a surprising win against Pakistan in the preliminary round and a draw against Zimbabwe. The resulting qualification for the Super 8 round was widely regarded as a sensation. However, there was only one victory against the test nation Bangladesh, so that a total of eighth place jumped out. As a result, thanks to the ODI status, some ODIs were held against test nations, but they were not crowned with success. In 2009, the qualifying tournament for the Cricket World Cup was on the agenda again. A sovereign entry into the final was achieved, where they then prevailed against Canada and thus qualified for the 2011 World Cup in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. In addition, the ODI status was extended to 2013. At the 2011 World Cup , the Irish managed a surprise victory against England. This was mainly thanks to the all-rounder Kevin O'Brien, who managed the fastest test century in World Cup history. However, since you could otherwise only win against the Netherlands, and had to accept defeats against Bangladesh, among others, the team did not get beyond the preliminary round. At the meeting of the ICC board that followed the tournament, it was decided that no associates were allowed to participate in the 2015 World Cup. This means that Ireland can only participate in this tournament again in the 2019 edition. Qualification for the Cricket World Cup 2015 was achieved by winning the Intercontinental Cup One-Day Tournament 2011-2013 . At the beginning of the final tournament, the team managed a highly regarded victory against the West Indies . However, there were also major defeats against India and South Africa . The resulting poor net run rate required a victory in the final group game against Pakistan, but with 7 wickets. The team was unable to qualify for the 2019 Cricket World Cup , as it was defeated in the decisive qualifying game against Afghanistan.

Twenty20

When qualifying for the World Cup in Twenty20 format in their own country in 2008 , Ireland made its debut in international Twenty20 cricket. Victories against Scotland and Bermuda made it into the final against the Netherlands. However, this did not take place due to rain, so the title was divided. In the world championship tournament itself, Bangladesh was defeated in the preliminary round and qualified for the second round. There, however, all other games were lost. The high popularity of the new format meant that two years later another qualification took place, in which they only lost to Afghanistan in the final . In the tournament itself you lost against the West Indies , so the last game against England had to be won. However, rain set in shortly after the start of the second inning, so the game had to be abandoned. Since the English had done better against the West Indies, they were qualified for the next round and Ireland was eliminated. In qualifying for the 2012 Twenty20 World Cup , the team initially lost to Namibia in the preliminary round. However, since all other games could be won, including in the second qualifying final against Namibia and in the final against Afghanistan, Ireland still won the tournament and qualified for Sri Lanka. At the main tournament itself, the team then lost its opening game against Australia. The game against the West Indies, which was decisive for progress, had to be stopped without a result due to rain and so Ireland was eliminated from the tournament after the preliminary round due to a higher defeat against Australia. In the 2013 qualification , the team clearly prevailed. In the final round , however, only managed one victory against the United Arab Emirates , so that here too the tournament was over for the team after the preliminary round. Ireland finished third in the next qualifying cycle , once again qualifying for the finals . There they finished last in the preliminary round without a win.

Appointment as a full member

Cricket Ireland, the association behind the team, had made it clear for a long time that they would like to achieve test status. However, there were no fixed criteria for this, so it was difficult to predict when Ireland would take this step. On June 22nd, 2017 it was announced that Ireland had been appointed full member of the ICC alongside Afghanistan and should therefore receive test status in the future.

Test cricket

The first test was against Pakistan in May 2018 . So far, the team has not been able to win a test.

One-day internationals

At the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 , Ireland finished fifth and was unable to qualify for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, which has now been reduced to ten participants .

Twenty20

In the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 Ireland took third place and qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 .

Balance sheet

The team has the following results against the other full members of the ICC in Test, ODI and Twenty20 cricket ( as of August 1, 2020 ).

opponent	Testing					ODIs					Twenty20s
	Sp.	S.	U	N	N	Sp.	S.	U	N	NO	Sp.	S.	U	N	NO
Afghanistan	1	0	0	1	0	27	13	0	13	1	18th	3	1	14th	0
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	4th	1	1	0	0	1	0
Bangladesh	0	0	0	0	0	10	2	0	7th	1	5	1	0	3	1
England	1	0	0	1	0	11	1	0	9	1	1	0	0	0	1
India	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	3	0	0	3	0
New Zealand	0	0	0	0	0	4th	0	0	4th	0	1	0	0	1	0
Pakistan	1	0	0	1	0	7th	1	1	5	0	1	0	0	1	0
Zimbabwe	0	0	0	0	0	13	6th	1	6th	0	3	2	0	1	0
Sri Lanka	0	0	0	0	0	4th	0	0	4th	0	1	0	0	1	0
South Africa	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Indies	0	0	0	0	0	12	1	0	10	1	7th	2	0	3	2

International tours

→ Main article : List of Ireland's national cricket team international cricket tours

Since becoming a full member of the ICC, Ireland has been on bilateral tours against the other full members and other members of the ICC with ODI and Twenty20 status.

International tournaments

World Cricket Championship

• 1975–1992 not eligible (not an ICC member)
• 1996 not qualified ( qualification )
• 1999 not qualified ( qualification )
• 2003 not qualified ( qualification )
• 2007 Super 8 ( qualification )
• 2011 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2015 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2019 not qualified ( qualification )

World Twenty20

• 2007 did not qualify
• 2009 Super 8 ( qualification )
• 2010 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2012 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2014 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2016 preliminary round ( qualification )
• 2020 qualified ( qualification )

ICC Intercontinental Cup

• 2004 preliminary round
• 2005 final
• 2006 victory
• 2007-08 victory
• 2009-10 preliminary round
• 2011–13 victory

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ICC Members ( English ) ICC. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved March 25, 2012.  
2. ↑ Ireland v Gentlemen of England in 1855 ( English ) Cricket Archive. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
3. ↑ Cricket in Ireland ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
4. ↑ Martin Williamson: A brief history ... ( English ) Cricinfo. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
5. ^ Edward Craig: Scotland begin as slight favorites ( English ) Cricinfo. July 12, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
6. ↑ Ireland prove they belong on the world stage ( English ) cricinfo. March 22, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
7. ↑ ICC confirms 10 teams for next two World Cups ( English ) cricinfo. April 4, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
8. ↑ Daniel Brettig: Two steps forward, but one step back ( English ) cricinfo. March 16, 2015. Accessed March 28, 2015.
9. ↑ 'Glass ceiling' frustrates Irish ( English ) BBC news. June 3, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
10. ↑ Afghanistan, Ireland get Test status ( English ) Cricinfo. June 22, 2017. Accessed June 23, 2017.
11. ↑ Ireland confirm Pakistan as first Test opponents ( English ) Cricinfo. October 12, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
12. ↑ Records / Ireland / Test Matches / Result Summary ( English ) Cricinfo. Accessed July 31, 2020.
13. ↑ Records / Ireland / One-Day Internationals / Result Summary ( English ) Cricinfo. Accessed July 31, 2020.
14. ↑ Records / Ireland / Twenty20 Internationals / Result Summary ( English ) Cricinfo. Accessed July 31, 2020.