Historic match to spark cricket boom

THERE are few bigger rivalries in sport than an Ireland v England game, and there’s one happening in Malahide next week in which the Irish have great hopes of repeating a famous win.

“We haven’t any fear against England,

? says John Mooney, a member of the Ireland cricket team.

“And we never will have any fear because they have everything to lose and we have everything to gain.

?

The RSA one-day international takes place at the new 11,000 capacity national stadium on Tuesday, September 3. With just 3,000 tickets left it is expected to be the biggest cricket game ever held in this country.

The trucks arrived at Malahide three weeks ago, shifting the first of the hundreds of tons of equipment and fittings to transform the village field into an international venue.

Sky Sports, which will show the game live, visited in June to plant its stump microphones, and is building a huge studio at the Castle End.

It all spells sleepless nights for many people, not least Cricket Ireland’s marketing manager, Andrew Leonard.

“I haven’t checked the weather forecast but we’re confident the day will be dry,

? Mr Leonard told Northside People.

“Some warm sun would be a bonus.

?

To turn the existing grounds into a stadium is a large task. The clubhouse and changing rooms are just not big enough, and there is minimal existing seating for spectators. It means that every structure and seat has to be pre-fabricated, with dressing rooms, umpires rooms, 100-seat media centre and corporate facilities erected from scratch.

The second ground on the Lady’s Acre will be festooned with a

‘Cricket Village’ for sponsors, retailers, entertainers and food outlets.

The village of Malahide has organised events and traders and hostelries are planning to mark the game.

“This is all new to us,

? admits Ian Talbot of Malahide Cricket Club.

“This is the first time we have done a big match here, and it’s the first time Cricket Ireland has had a match this big. There’s an element of the educational in it all.

“Fingal Council has been very helpful, and we’ve widened our entrance and they’ve helped widen other access points around the estate.

?

The club is buzzing ahead of the RSA Challenge, even though they will have to call a halt to fixtures a week or two before. The players are certainly pumped up for it.

While Kevin O’Brien got all the headlines for his match-winning century in the 2011 World Cup, John Mooney hit the four that got Ireland over the line.

“Playing against England is special,

? he said.

“For me, I don’t think there’s any bigger game you can play as an Irishman – and in a World Cup it was just incredible.

?

Cricket Ireland is on the up, as Malahide-based chief executive Warren Deutrom explains. “Our targets are ambitious. By 2015 we see nothing less than increasing our participation figures to 50,000 (from 15,000) and become eighth best men’s team (currently 11th).”

The game is buoyant, not least in north Dublin where new clubs have sprouted up in Castleknock and Swords to join the rich cricket culture of Fingal.

Part of this boom is due to rapid growth in the South Asian community. It may not be too long before one of

‘the New Irish’ makes the breakthrough. Recent Ireland underage and development squads feature names such as Ali, Chopra, Uddin, and Singh.

And when England come to open the Malahide ground, another box will be ticked on Irish cricket’s slow march.

The game was first played in this country in 1730 – but it has taken 300 years to become an overnight success.