SOME fairly depressing score cards have appeared in these pages over the past week or so, as the Irish team received four comprehensive drubbings from English county opposition, two in `friendlies' and two in the Benson and Hedges League. Still, while he admits to being quite drained mentally, skipper Alan Lewis remains up beat about the benefits of his side's outings against the professionals.
Our long term goal is to succeed in the ICC Trophy and playing these games provides us with invaluable experience. Our problem is that we haven't managed to put all the pieces of our game together at once against professional opposition but we got individual aspects right at different stages of the past week.
In general, our out cricket against Hampshire on Friday was excellent and had we taken two early chances off Winston Benjamin before he began his blitz in the final 10 overs, we might have been chasing a very manageable total. Then on Sunday, we got over another poor start to the innings to post a respectable score that was bettered only by one other minor side, the Combined Universities."
Of course there were moments of desperation. Martin Speight's assault on Ireland's young new hall pair, Ryan Eagleson and Mark Patterson was particularly merciless. The new 15 over law can be very cruel on bowlers. With only two men allowed outside the circle there's a temptation to bring your third man and fine leg up and put your two deep men square of the wicket as that's where most of the runs seem to come from. Even still, the county sides aim to score 100-120 in the first 15 and Speight is probably the best pinch hitter in the English game."
In fact, Patterson became so incensed at the punishment he was receiving that he ran through the crease and aimed an 18 yard bouncer somewhere in the region of Speight's cranium, only to be top edged over fine leg for another six. His team mates were quick to remind him that Ireland must face Sussex's Vasbert Drakes again in the NatWest Trophy, at Ormeau.
On an individual level, there were a couple of notable performances. Paul McCrum's bowling at Southampton, returning figures of 10-4-10-2, may well turn out to be an economy rate record for the competition and represents a well earned reward for his dedication. Angus Dunlop, another whose international future hung in the balance, also took his chance well on Sunday with an attractive 50.
There are also financial benefits to playing in the B and H and one theory is that money could be spent in hiring an overseas professional, like the counties, to boost results and team morale. If West Indian Winston Benjamin is hammering your bowlers for 58 off 32 balls and then removing a couple of your top order batsman, why shouldn't you avail of a similar player?
. There are three changes to the Leinster squad for the AIB sponsored inter provincials in three weeks' time. Brian MacNeice (Clontarf), Eddie Moore (CYM) and Ed Joyce (Merrion) have all made themselves unavailable and they have been replaced by Ronan O'Sullivan (Old Belvedere), Angus Fleming (Merrion) and Brian O'Rourke (Pembroke).
