WELCOME TO BREADY

What a pleasure it was to be there to watch the recent ODI series between Ireland and West Indies in Clontarf. It was a see-saw series that had everything: a big Ireland win and then a comeback from the visitors. A drawn series was a fitting result.

We've now moved north to the picturesque Bready Cricket Club for this T20I series and it gives our lads a chance to lay a marker in this format ahead of next year's T20 World Cup.

It gives me an opportunity, too, to experience international cricket at another of our top venues. But not just for the on-field action, seeing the young fans there to cheer on their heroes but also to play their own cricket. I love that our venues are set up in the understanding that kids aren't expected to sit and watch cricket for seven hours. Space is provided for them to enjoy their own cricket.

Bready is no different, so I'm looking forward to seeing families out in force - enjoying cricket on and off the field.

As for this series, I would like to welcome the West Indies squad back to Ireland, and extend a warm welcome to any travelling fans who are here today to watch this great occasion.

Now, on with the cricket.

Donna Armstrong
Cricket Ireland President

A Series Tied

The TokenFi ODI Series ended up with one win each for Ireland and West Indies due to the second game being washed out. Isobel Joyce takes a look back at a topsy turvy series.

Following a chastening defeat in the first match of the series, Shai Hope’s West Indies team bounced back with two strong performances, albeit the second match of the series was abandoned due to rain after the first innings.  

Ireland had an almost perfect day in the opening fixture of the series, batting first and posting 303-6. It was a historic day, with Ireland captain Paul Stirling passing 10,000 runs in all formats and Andrew Balbirnie posting century number nine when he anchored the innings with his 112(138). There were half centuries for Harry Tector (56) and Stirling (54) and a quickfire 30 from Lorcan Tucker to help Ireland post an imposing target for the visitors.  

Windies never got going in the chase, Barry McCarthy the destroyer in chief with the ball, claiming three wickets in the first powerplay and four wickets in all. There was a good seventh wicket partnership of 98 between Roston Chase and Matthew Forde but George Dockrell, who got a rare opportunity with the ball, not only broke that partnership but claimed three wickets in his two overs and finished with 3-21.  

There was a lot of talk leading up to the series about the players that would miss out due to injury, but those injuries meant opportunity for three players to debut, Cade Carmichael, Tom Mayes and Liam McCarthy all making their first appearances in the green of Ireland.  

All three gave a good account of themselves, with Tom Mayes probably the pick of them with, finishing with 1-23 in his six overs. He claimed his first international wicket with an absolute peach when he castled Shai Hope with a big in-swinging delivery. Liam McCarthy bowled with good pace later in the innings, although he would have to wait for his second match to claim his first wicket, also that of Hope for 49.  

Fittingly, Barry McCarthy claimed the final wicket of the innings to close things out for the home side and deliver a 124-run victory.  

Ahead of the second match of the series, Paul Stirling won the toss once more, this time electing to bowl first. A couple of early wickets did fall to Barry McCarthy once again, but Keacy Carty and Shai Hope (49) steadied the innings with Carty going on to achieve his second century in just his 33rd ODI. He was dismissed soon after for 102 but that only served to give the big-hitting West Indies middle order some time out in the middle.  

Matthew Forde equalled AB de Villiers record for fastest ODI half-century when he passed the milestone in just 16 deliveries. West Indies added 98 runs in the last six overs of the innings to post a mammoth total of 352-8.  

Ireland never got an opportunity to see what they could do in reply in that second match of the series, but they were set an even taller task in the third game of the series when Paul Stirling once again won the toss and elected to bowl first. There was one change to the Ireland team, Tom Mayes left out and another debut cap given out, this time to young speedster Jordan Neil.  

His day finished early when he injured himself after acrobatically stopping a ball from going for a boundary, and there were further woes when Josh Little had to go off without bowling his full complement.  

Keacy Carty (170) and Shai Hope (75) steadied the ship once more after McCarthy, predictably, took the early wickets of Brandon King (1) and Evin Lewis (14). Justin Greaves (50) posted his maiden ODI half-century in just 22 deliveries and was dismissed the very next delivery. His efforts helped West Indies to score 144-4 in the final 10 overs, with Ireland asked to chase 386 for victory.  

There were a couple of rain delays throughout the day and eventually there was some time lost, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stearn method adjusting the target to 363 in 46 overs.  

Jayden Seales was devastating in his opening spell, getting his first bowl of the series after missing the first game through illness. Seales took 3-26 in 5.5 overs, dismissing three of the top four in his first spell. Balbirnie (3), Stirling (26) and Harry Tector (0) all fell victim to his disciplined spell. Carmichael (48) accumulated well but couldn’t reach his first half-century for Ireland, bowled by Justin Greaves (1-35) two runs short.  

Lorcan Tucker (29), George Dockrell (23) and Andy McBrine (28) all got going but couldn’t kick on as they tried to keep up with the required run-rate. West indies finished the innings in style with two run-outs in quick succession. Neil and Little didn’t make an appearance with bat in hand and so Ireland finished 165-8, 197 runs short of their target.  

With the second match washed out, Ireland and West Indies shared the TokenFi ODI Series. West Indies then travelled to England for an ODI and T20I series, but they now return to play Ireland in the TokenFi T20I series in Bready. They lost the ODI series 3-0, and the T20I series....

Turning Brown

Dave Sihra sat down Ireland Men’s spin coach Chris Brown to talk about what it’s like working this current group of spinners, results so far and hopes for the future.  

Chris Brown’s favourite spinner growing up? The spin coach wastes no time: “Tim May of Australia - he was probably one of the best off-spinners I have come across because he spun the ball more than any other I’ve seen. I joined the Lancashire CCC staff in 1994 and before that, whilst in the age groups, they came over for the Ashes. So at Old Trafford I was net bowling to the Australians as a 16/17 year old and just seeing how much Tim May spun the ball with so much shape as an off spinner - he was outstanding”.  

There was of course a young Shane Warne with the touring party who would go on to make a name for himself with an iconic delivery to bowl Mike Gatting in that very match. However, Brown’s answer gives you a window into what he wants to see from his spinners.  

How has it been since you started? 

Chris Brown: I started on in January 2024 – so over a year in. Just before that I did come over in December 2023 for two weeks to do some work with Gavin Hoey, Matthew Humphreys and Ben White.  

One of the real pleasing things for me now has been winning three test matches in a row with Andy McBrine and Matthew Humphreys. But Matthew Humphreys, in particular was spectacular in the last Test getting six-for to win in the 4th innings. Then of course McBrine with his two POTM awards. He was excellent at Stormont and played a crucial role with bat and ball in Bulawayo, so I'm looking for similar returns from both of them. 

How did you get on with Ireland Wolves?  

CB: We had a really good trip to Abu Dhabi with the Wolves and played against some very, very strong opposition in Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A, and then the boys did very well to get to the tri-series final. So it was a really good experience for the whole squad selected that will really hold them in good stead going into the future. 

Obviously Gavin Hoey bowled extremely well in a couple of the matches - especially against Sri Lanka A and against Afghanistan A to get us to the final. He was excellent. Cian Robertson bowled really smartly in the four day game showing really good control and change of pace. Scott Macbeth in the two games that he played showed that he’s obviously a more than capable all-rounder with his off-spin. 

There has been a lot of different assignments so far - what are you expecting from your spinners for this series against West Indies?  

CB: In the ODI series in Clontarf it'll be a question of our spinners trying to control the scoreboard and apply wicket taking opportunities by having an attacking mindset. It’s what they’ve done so well since I've been in post but obviously in different conditions. It’s will be different from Harare and Bulawayo to Clontarf, but the same principles apply. 

There’s lots of different spinners in the group currently – talk us through them? 

CB: Gavin Hoey is quite a big turner of the ball, so perhaps more suited to the ODI and Test match format at this point in time. You’ve Gareth Delany, who’s had some good returns for us in T20I cricket as a leg-spinner all-rounder. Ben White, his main strength is the T20 game, due to the length and pace he bowls and I'll reflect on the game he won for us in Sharjah against Afghanistan back in March 2024 with 4-20.  

Then Matthew Humphreys and Andy McBrine both have incredible control. What I've been working on with all the spinners is their seam presentation and always trying to spin the ball as hard as they can at the correct pace which creates threat and encourages you to take wickets. 

What's something you always say to your spinners before they head out to the field? 

CB: Just be brave and back the process. Stick to that and the results tend to look after themselves. Gavin Hoey and Matthew Humphreys have been really interesting. With Matt I’ve remodelled his action when I started and he's getting the rewards now.  

Perfection is never attainable, but you might just reach excellence on the way and that's the goal. We've obviously got Harry Tector who is a more than capable off-spinner. There’s George Dockrell’s left arm spin.  

Is there any work you wish you could do more of? 

CB: I spend quite a lot of contact time with the different spinners but something myself, Heinrich and Graeme West have chatted about is coach education. Something else I'd love to do with the spinners over time is to bring a group away overseas for a spin camp for spin specific training. It’s something I hope will come to fruition, particularly for younger players to bowl on different surfaces in different environments and different conditions. That will hold them very well in the future.  

I’ve been involved in a few for previous jobs. I went on one with England Young Lions, where we took a group away to Abu Dhabi. During the winter you can learn so much more in that scenario on the ground in the sunshine on different surfaces, different conditions and in different environments. It’s all part of the spinner’s armoury for the future, so it’s not foreign to them when they get selected on a tour in the future and have some experience under their belt. 

Growing up - who was your favourite spinner and why? 

CB: Australia’s Tim May was probably one of the best off-spinners I have come across because he spun the ball more than any other I’ve seen. I was a young player on the Lancashire staff and I remember the year the Australians came, over for the Ashes. So at Old Trafford I was net bowling to the Australians and just seeing how much Tim May spun the ball for an off spinner - he was outstanding. Of course you had Shane Warne making his Ashes debut and bowling Mike Gatting in that game in Manchester. 

Right now who’s your favourite spinner in world cricket?  

CB: Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa are obviously exceptional in T20 but I really like Mitchell Santner for his savviness, his changes of pace and how he reads batters. I think he's right up there.  

Talk us through some of your most recent work? 

CB: Matthew Humphreys has been exceptional – a really smart cookie, articulate, and he's like a sponge. Remember that big in-swinging arm ball he bowled to Wessley Madavere in the third T20I against Zimbabwe? We only worked on that in August last year at the High Performance Centre before the series against South Africa. He didn't have the correct grip for it and wasn’t getting that swing he got on the Madavere ball. So I worked with him for only a couple of sessions and he used it to great effect. Against South Africa, the same. Then used it extremely well in the test match against Zimbabwe. But then, of course, he executed it perfectly opening the bowling in the T20Is! 

Simon Johnson, Head Coach with the Northern Knights, wants me to teach it to all of his spinners because he knows it's a massive weapon. But it’s brilliant working with everyone. There was that video on social media of me working with Andy McBrine in Bready straight after the USA trip for the T20 World Cup. And he was MOM in the test match not long after.   

Matthew Humphreys didn’t bowl as much in that home test. You always look at how many left handers or right handers the opposition have. Then fast forward from the Stormont test to the most recent win in Harare and it was roles reversed. There were less left handers and Matthew Humphreys was more at the forefront while McBrine controlled the scoreboard to great effect from the other end. That's how it works at the top level.  

A final bit of advice for any spinners reading this? 

CB: The advice is always: spin the ball as hard as you can and by doing that you get the correct pace, correct shape and correct weight on the ball.