Ireland eyes world recognition
By Oscar Ramjeet
Stabroek News
April 9, 2007
"Ireland will be a force to reckon in the cricketing world in the coming years."
This is the view of manager Robert Torrens.
In an exclusive interview at the Cara Lodge hotel. Torrens said that Michael Holding and other critics who felt that Ireland, Bermuda, Scotland and the Netherlands should not participate in the World Cup, would have a different view now.
He was referring to Ireland's victory over the powerful Pakistan team in Jamaica during the first round of the tournament.
Torrens said that the players had been together since January 6 where they were involved in training camps in South Africa and Kenya.
He said the team had improved tremendously and were now a united force which would move from strength to strength.
He disclosed that coach Adrian Birrell would retire at the end of the World Cup and former West Indies all-rounder, Phil Simmons, would take over.
Simmons, he said, had been assisting Birrell since the beginning of March during the warm up games in Trinidad.
He also took active part in the coaching and practice sessions in Jamaica and Guyana.
Birrell said he felt that with Simmons' experience he would be invaluable to the Irish cricketers in their quest for world recognition.
Torrens said that he was grateful for the support of the Irish fans who came to the Caribbean to cheer them along.
He said no less than 1000 Irish supporters were at Sabina Park to see their team whip the powerful Pakistan squad.
He said he was also happy for the support the team had been receiving in the Caribbean especially in Guyana since its victory against Pakistan.
Referring to the team's defeat against South Africa in the rain-affected match at Providence in Guyana, Torrens said he felt that if they had won the toss, it would have been a different game.
This is the first time that Ireland has qualfied for the ICC CWC tournament and they are one of only two debutant teams at this year's event, the other being Bermuda.
Ireland became an Associate Member of the ICC in 1993 and took part in its first ICC event the following year at the ICC Trophy in Kenya.
Before hosting the event in 2005, Ireland had taken part in three ICC Trophy tournaments in Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur and Toronto.
Four members of the Ireland squad, Kevin O'Brien, Kenny Carroll, Wiliam Porterfield and John Mooney spent seven weeks on the ICC Winter Training Camp in Pretoria last October/November.