YESTERDAY morning word had it that a story claiming problems with crowd control at Castle Avenue bad been screened on Ceefax. That got a few laughs among cynics at the Clontarf venue; as usual when the national cricket team is in action the real problem is to entice people into the ground rather than have them storming the turnstiles.
But the story might well be different today. After an intriguing day's play in the Benson & Hedges Cup match against Middlesex, the Irish stand at the brink of an historic victory the first success over an English county side in competition.
Big money is being paid out by commercial interests to have a major world player involved in Ireland's cause and the megastar duly produces the goodies.
South Africa's Hansie Cronje certainly did that with a dazzling, undefeated 94 and a couple of vital wickets, that of Mark Ramp akrash among them. But before Bloemfontein's finest came to the wicket, Ireland part timers Decker Curry and Kyle McCallan had laid the foundations with 72 for the first wicket.
Curry smote a mighty six in the first over and went on to score a fine 75; Alan Lewis, Just in Benson and Andrew Patterson also made invaluable contributions. A total of 281 for 4 off the 50 overs was simply superb on a rain interrupted day: the pity was that the weather prevented Ireland from coasting to victory last evening, as Middlesex lurched to 134 for six off 32.2 overs.
Cronje and Benson, with a brace apiece, Derek Heasley and Greg Molins did the damage. When the rain descended, Paul Weekes, Peter Wellings, Mike Gatting, Rampakrash, Jason Pooley and Keith Dutch all had taken early showers and Ireland's finest cricketing hour was at hand.
The recent World Cup experience in Malaysia was ultimately disappointing. But the exercise was far from wasted yesterday, Ireland's batting, bowling and fielding was examplary.
Hopefully, there will be no last ditch nerves, nor hiccups. Gatting's men are there for the taking, and the most important Irish success in the locality since that of King Brian Boru in 1014 is about to be enacted at Clontarf.
