FRIEND PRAISES GRANT
Such has been the standard of the Irish batting in recent months they have been able to put on big scores but have failed to close out matches.
South Africa are ranked fourth in the world at the short-form game behind India, England and Pakistan and are off the back of a recent series victory over England.
The Proteas will be captained by Keshav Maharaj, who recently became the first South African bowler to take a Test hattrick in over 60 years, against West Indies in St Lucia.
Ranked
There are two batmen ranked among the world’s top 10, Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen, while there they also have two bowlers similarly ranked, in Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi.
“There’s a bit of an expectation now on us as a group to win these games, which hasn’t always been the case, and that’s good,” says Balbirnie of Ireland’s improving T20 performances.
“You have some different skills you need to master for T20 but last year we did win against South Africa although that was a 50-over game.”
And what a game it was!
Ireland beat South Africa for the first time in any format with a 43-run success at Malahide, Balbirnie smashing 102 from 117 balls.
“Everyone in the group fully believes we can beat these teams but, for now, the performance is really important.”
Ireland have just come off three T20
ONCE-CAPPED Scotland hooker Grant Stewart has signed a six-month contract with Connacht.
Stewart earned his international cap against France in a 2019 World
Cup warm-up game at Murrayfield.
The 27-year-old has spent five years at Glasgow Warriors, scoring nine tries in 48 appearances. defeats to New Zealand, although the third was an exciting finish with the Kiwis winning off the last ball of the 19th over.
“We had a close game, there was a lot of endeavour, yet we didn’t get over the line,” says the skipper.
“But the way we played, particularly our batting was something that we wanted to kind of make a blueprint.
“Obviously it doesn’t come off all the time like that and we are in a results business as much as you want to focus on the performance and all that.”
The message from the captain is simple, he wants to win, not be praised for being brave losers.
“You do need to start winning games as well and we haven’t really managed to do that this year in either 50 overs or T20.
“So, certainly, with only a few weeks until we head off to Australia for the T20 World Cup (October 16-November 13) we want to get some momentum going.”
“We have three quality hookers in the squad in Dave Heffernan, Shane Delahunt and Dylan TierneyMartin,” said Connacht coach Andy Friend.
Position
“However with Dave now a regular Ireland squad member and Shane unfortunately absent through injury for a little while longer, we’re now a little light in the position.
“So I’m really very pleased we have been able to sign a player of Grant’s calibre and we have begun to integrate him into the squad at training this week, well in time for the start of the new season ahead.”
A freak of the draw will pit him against England’s newly crowned European champion Harris Akbar at the quarter-final stage, a match-up that will turn the NEC into a cauldron.
Walsh was beaten by an Englishman, Pat McCormack, at Gold Coast 2018, but avenging that is not on his agenda.
Walsh said: “I just want to enjoy it to be honest, regardless of winning and losing. All the time we focus on gold medals, but you neglect the enjoyment.
“Good performances lead to good things. The team’s great and it’s a great honour to be captain of the team.”
Akbar is in an altogether different headspace.
“This is what I’d have hoped to be the final,” said the Bradford native.
“It just goes to show how hard the Commonwealth is. It’s one of the toughest divisions.
“It’s going to be a clash of styles for sure, but we’ll see who the better man on the day is.
“It’s not going to be about styles, it’s about who is the better man. Hopefully, the home crowd will be different, the English are going to bring it.
“The self-belief I have, I can’t even put it into words. If I put in my best performance, no-one will beat me.”