Great piece! Always good to hear what people think about Ireland, especially when we don’t play as often as other nations.
I can say that, from watching the domestic Inter-Provincials here in Ireland, and watching the internationals, George Dockrell and McBrine are two different cases (though they’ve both very similar backstories of course)
Dockrell was essentially told his bowling wasn’t good enough anymore to hold his place in the squad - I don’t think he bowled a single ball in the T20 WC campaign, for example. He lost his central contract at one point, I think, and went away to become a dedicated batsman
He was, for the most part, the star of a dominant Leinster team in the List A one day tournament (top scoring), so he’s certainly adjudged a frontline batter who can bowl a bit (even if that’s yet to materialise for the national team).
A real issue for Ireland, I would think, is consistency of lineup. Yes there’s been interruptions due to covid (Porterfield is the fielding coach, for feck sake, being dragged out to open in a major series) but it goes deeper.
Campher, I think, is a perfect number six - a power hitter with good technique - but he was thrust up at four where he’d to build the innings, not cap it off, and it clearly doesn’t suit him.
Gareth Delaney is another enigma. Despite what Wikipedia says, he’s not an all-rounder - he does not bowl. Didn’t bowl against the Windies this time, and didn’t bowl two years ago against them when on debut. And yet he’s in at eight?
He was drafted (but didn’t play) in the Abu Dhabi T10, and had a good tournament by all reports in the US domestic tournament (for what that’s worth) but I can’t imagine why he’s in that late, unless he’s the escape valve if the pinch blocker doesn’t work. I don’t know.
The retirement stuff is obviously a huge blow - losing Kevy, Porterfield and the lads all at roughly the same time - but losing the option for county cricket has clearly hurt some of the young guys developmentally. Seem to be on track now, but there was a period there post-test status where they had nothing between the few international matches, essentially
Pinch Blocker - lovely term. Although while reading it, my brain couldn't help but kept screaming - it's effin Night Watchman for ODIs!! Comes on to protect rest of the lineup & in the process collect whatever on offer, albeit a bit quicker (maybe not 🤷♂️)
Great piece! Always good to hear what people think about Ireland, especially when we don’t play as often as other nations.
I can say that, from watching the domestic Inter-Provincials here in Ireland, and watching the internationals, George Dockrell and McBrine are two different cases (though they’ve both very similar backstories of course)
Dockrell was essentially told his bowling wasn’t good enough anymore to hold his place in the squad - I don’t think he bowled a single ball in the T20 WC campaign, for example. He lost his central contract at one point, I think, and went away to become a dedicated batsman
He was, for the most part, the star of a dominant Leinster team in the List A one day tournament (top scoring), so he’s certainly adjudged a frontline batter who can bowl a bit (even if that’s yet to materialise for the national team).
A real issue for Ireland, I would think, is consistency of lineup. Yes there’s been interruptions due to covid (Porterfield is the fielding coach, for feck sake, being dragged out to open in a major series) but it goes deeper.
Campher, I think, is a perfect number six - a power hitter with good technique - but he was thrust up at four where he’d to build the innings, not cap it off, and it clearly doesn’t suit him.
Gareth Delaney is another enigma. Despite what Wikipedia says, he’s not an all-rounder - he does not bowl. Didn’t bowl against the Windies this time, and didn’t bowl two years ago against them when on debut. And yet he’s in at eight?
He was drafted (but didn’t play) in the Abu Dhabi T10, and had a good tournament by all reports in the US domestic tournament (for what that’s worth) but I can’t imagine why he’s in that late, unless he’s the escape valve if the pinch blocker doesn’t work. I don’t know.
The retirement stuff is obviously a huge blow - losing Kevy, Porterfield and the lads all at roughly the same time - but losing the option for county cricket has clearly hurt some of the young guys developmentally. Seem to be on track now, but there was a period there post-test status where they had nothing between the few international matches, essentially
Pinch Blocker - lovely term. Although while reading it, my brain couldn't help but kept screaming - it's effin Night Watchman for ODIs!! Comes on to protect rest of the lineup & in the process collect whatever on offer, albeit a bit quicker (maybe not 🤷♂️)