Ireland Cricket Season 2022

Yet again we lose a tight game, while I do want to say it's experience, the likes of Stirling, Balbirnie and Dockrell have been around a long time, so really should be able to play these situations. As a full member close defeats are no longer a success, they're just defeats. Realistically from the positions we've been in this summer, the fact we haven't a single win is a real indictment of this teams mentality. They struggle to get across the line. Even the west Indies series was nearly thrown way from unbeatable positions.

Tucker is a big positive tonight. The last 12 months he's really developed as a batsman. He could be solid no 3 it he keeps this progress. Dockrell has showed he has the shots in his locker, he just needs to start playing significant innings now, not meaningless cameos.

Tonight showed me, we still have two major issues. Balbirnie is a poor captain. He does not read match situations, instead follows pre game plans religiously. No proactive captain would have given Little 4 overs tonight. He lets game meander along, his negative captaincy definitely cost us the first ODI V NZ.

The second more worrying issue is the selectors. They have picked a world cup squad 12 months out from a world cup. The interpros this year were meaningless. Form means absolutely nothing, they just pick their favorites. Campher and Delaney are not in that team on form, on form they'd be nowhere near it. Tyrone Kane would offer more based on current form. David Delaney's raw pace offers a lot more than McCarthys medium pace. Realistically the captains T20 record for the last 3 years doesn't justify his position. RAdair, Doheny and Commings are entitled to a chance surely.

A team built around Stirling, Tector, Dockrell, Adair and McBrine should be winning more game then we do.

6 defeats out of 6 this summer. No need to change anything though!

They're actually doing ok here. Keeping it tight. Little is bowling a much better length

But… a couple of quick wickets from Delaney and good bowling, we might be still in with a shout of limiting them to an average score. Delaney going to the boundary McCarthy following suit, like they are after getting into a good position and **** the bed. Crazy.. all over the Kip, full tosses, wides, from pissing this to fûcking it away.

85/4 after 12.3 we had them… 155 maybe possible but 182/6. SA score 97 runs in the last 7.3 overs.

if we don’t win this ( we won’t ) it’s the biggest throwaway shît the bed performance I’ve seen from Ireland.

The captain is going through a historic run of bad form. Never seen a batsman look so out of touch. If cricket wasn't a minority sport, and he faced genuine scrutiny, he'd be out of a job tonight. He's desperate, he didn't deserve his place in the side yet alone the captaincy.

Balbernie , 8 balls in a T20 international to score a duck..now hitting or should I say tapping singles ffs

Looked like Shamsi blocked a second run being taken by Tector hmmm

Every dismissal has been to a braindead shot. They have the cricketing intelligence of a grasshopper!

But still, let's play the same XI next week, I'm sure it'll work then. Delaney and Balbirnie are 100s waiting to happen.

Stirling

Commins

R Adair

Tector (Capt)

Doheny (keeper)

Kane

Dockrell

M Adair

D Delaney

Little

M Frost

Doubt that team would do any worse than what we've witnessed lately.

Well, in an hour Afghanistan vs Ireland starts… what’s everyone’s predictions ?

win probability on Google is 66% - 34% in favour of the Afghans. They whitewashed Zimbabwe in both the T20 and ODI series IN Zimbabwe…. Ok Zimbabwe are in somewhat of a talent trough but to beat them so comprehensively.

Be interesting to see if we can learn from our recent performances… cutting out the high volumes of extras bowled by our bowlers and those arial ‘rush of blood’ type shots we see too often.

LIVE on BT Sport.

Way to much width… after a seriously good start, bizarrely just too many bad deliveries all of a sudden.

9 wickets in the bank, we need to get a little more positive and aggressive to keep on target.

As I say that, what a shot by Tucker, 6 class.

good win, bit of a sickner for the Afghans though. 😅 They are not a very likeable.. team, did anyone notice the time wasting in between overs and deliveries at the end ?, fellas running on with drinks and towels constantly. Last delivery or second last Nareen-Ul-Haq went back to his mark to restart his run up three times.. each time the batsman was ready and taking guard…. Trying all sorts.

had to laugh at Alan Lewis on commentary… apologising for using the term ‘batsman’ 🤣 ffs.