Malahide And Stormont To Host England And Australia In 2015

Cricket Ireland have confirmed Malahide and Stormont as the host venues for their ODI's against England and Australia in 2015.

The England clash will be held at Malahide on Friday May 8th. The picturesque Dublin ground was the setting last year for a record attendance of ten thousand on a memorable day for Irish cricket.

If that encounter is anything to go by the Irish sporting public will be treated to a fantastic game and wonderful day out. The record crowd enjoyed the unique atmosphere created by the scenic surroundings of Malahide along with a large worldwide TV audience.

Australia travel to Stormont for their ODI on Wednesday August 27th. The Belfast venue has successfully hosted England, West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia in recent years, and another truly memorable game is expected.

"It's a fantastic boost for Irish cricket to have these two high profile clashes," said Ireland coach Phil Simmons. "We're always looking to test ourselves against top quality opposition, and they don't come much bigger than England and Australia.

"Next year is shaping up to be the most exciting in Irish cricketing history. We've got the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, these high profile ODI's and we're also co-hosting the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers along with Scotland. That's a fantastic line-up of cricketing action, and I'm sure there will be a lot of support for these games," added Simmons.

Ireland captain William Porterfield was clearly enthused about the prospect of facing England and Australia again.

"There's a real buzz around the squad with everyone really looking forward to next year. The fact that we've these ODI's too has given everyone a real boost.
"Malahide obviously holds special memories for me with my hundred there against England last year. It was one of the highlights of my career, and it was made extra special by the fact it was in front of a sell-out crowd.

"I'm sure that there will be huge crowds at both games, and given the fact that it's an Ashes year next summer, I'd expect a large number of travelling supporters too, giving the games an incredible atmosphere in both Dublin and Belfast."

Tickets for the England match at Malahide on May 8th will be sold through the usual channels including Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.ie. Further details of pricing and date public ticket release will be announced on the Cricket Ireland website www.cricketireland.ie