Rain halts Ireland debut
DUBLIN: The start of Ireland’s Test debut against Pakistan in Malahide has been delayed due to rain. What will be an historic first ball was scheduled to be bowled at 11:00 local time but was pushed back due to inclement weather. Another inspection will take place after lunch time, providing rain stops at the Malahide ground. Ireland were granted full member status by the International Cricket Council last June and will be desperate to get the one-off Test under way.
William Porterfield will captain Ireland in their inaugural Test proud of the years of campaigning that have led to the match against Pakistan.
Ireland, who famously knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, are the 11th Test nation. For Porterfield and his 10 teammates it promises to be an especially memorable occasion, but he was quick to pay tribute to all those who had helped make Ireland’s Test debut a reality.
“There has been a lot of banging the drum,” Porterfield told reporters “It’s going to be a pretty special occasion for the 11 that are lucky enough to take the park.”
“Every one that’s ever worn the jersey and done things behind the scenes and devoted their lives to it deserve a lot of credit for what’s going to happen.”
“We’re obviously pretty excited. It’s been quite a while building up to this since it was announced. “I am sure there will be a lot of different emotions that will flow through everyone over the next 24 hours, but excitement is the main one,” said the opening batsman. Although both Ireland and Afghanistan were granted Test status by the International Cricket Council last year, neither of the newcomers can expect to be involved in full-length Test series anytime soon.But one-off games, as was the case with Sri Lanka at the start of their introduction to Test cricket, could yet be the best way to ease them into the five-day format. “It is going to be very hard to organise three or five-game series with the cost that is involved in organising them,” said Porterfield, who played English county cricket for both Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.