A Presidential Diary Part 17

December 10th 2013 by Robin Walsh | International

Cricket Ireland President Robin Walsh writes to us yesterday as he travels to watch Ireland in their bid for an historic treble against Afghanistan in Dubai.

Again tapping out my latest musings on a plane. No better way of beating the boredom than thinking and writing about cricket, particularly since the destination is Dubai with every possibility of a date with Irish cricket history.

I will be in late tonight in good time for the excitement first thing in the morning as Ireland again take on Afghanistan, this time over five scheduled days in the final of the Intercontinental Cup. Victory come Saturday and it will be a remarkable and historic hat trick - first the World League and automatic qualification for the 50-over World Cup in 2015; less than 10 days ago it was the World T20 Qualifying trophy in Abu Dhabi and now the longer form championship beckons. 

What a climax it would be to a year that has seen the men step out of their much too comfortable Associates’  zone to tie with Pakistan and almost do the trick against England.  And let’s not forget the women’s qualification for their T20 World Cup to be played simultaneously with the
men in Bangladesh come the spring. Not a bad year to be the chief cheerleader and hand shaker.

I reckon the firmest handshakes all round tomorrow will involve those two grand servants of Ireland, Trent Johnson and Andrew White.  The former will, of course, be bidding farewell to the international scene he has so distinguished over the past 10 years;  Andrew equalling his teaching colleague Kyle McCallan’s record of 226 caps. More anon.

And there’s one Phil Simmons with much to celebrate. The two year extension to his contract as National Coach simply cements one of the greatest partnerships in the history of Irish cricket and tomorrow he’ll nudge ever closer to 200 internationals in charge of his fine bunch of players. As I said in my email to him at the weekend - a decent glass of red might be in order ….. after stumps have been pulled for the year, of course!

It’s proving a busy old December one way or another, not least back home. Last week we had the draw for the RSA Irish Senior and National Cups with the chair of the Cricket Committee Joe Doherty doing a fine job of organising the mandatory regional segregation in the first round not to talk of the requisite number of home games in each Union area.

Next week, the blazer will have Christmas outings on three successive days in the lead up to Christmas - two in Dublin, one in Belfast.

The Irish Times have been kind enough to invite me to their annual Sportswoman of the Year awards at which I would hope for an honourable mention for Isobel Joyce and her team. 

And then the annual Christmas bashes in Dublin and Belfast of my favourite charity, the Lord’s Taverners. The organisation’s aim is to give disadvantaged youngsters “a sporting chance” and I make no secret of the fact that I will be greatly honoured when I become president in Northern Ireland in the New Year.

The Taverners have their roots firmly planted in cricket and specifically in that old watering hole of The Tavern which, in the good old days, served its refreshments not far from the boundary rope. 

It was there, swilling our pints, that Viv Richards surprised us all by virtually ending in our midst after a hectic, but unsuccessful, boundary chase in the first World Cup final in 1975.

As usual, the late John Arlott summed it up with one of his most memorable commentary lines. “Richards”, he said, “has been greeted by The Taveners open-mouthed!”