Ireland’s cricketers head into their most important games of the summer when they take on Bangladesh in the first of two back-to-back games at Stormont in Belfast on Thursday, writes RTÉ Sport's John Kenny.
Buoyed by their success in last week’s World League in the Netherlands, where Ireland cemented their place as the world’s top associate nation, Phil Simmons’ side now face a test-playing nation in the RSA sponsored double header.
Ireland played Australia in a One Day International in June and although they were not expected to win, they gave Ricky Ponting’s side a real fright before eventually going under at Clontarf.
Now they face two games against Bangladesh brimming with confidence as they cruised through the World League with a team that contained many inexperienced youngsters.
Bangladesh come to Belfast having lost 2-1 to England in last week’s One Day International three-game series, but they inflicted their first ever defeat on Paul Collingwood’s side in Bristol.
The two games against Bangladesh have always been seen as Ireland’s top priorities this summer, which gives them a chance to improve their world ranking against a team just two places above them.
After their successful week in the Netherlands, youngsters like Nigel Jones and Rory McCann will now take a step back with the more experienced William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien, Gary Wilson and Boyd Rankin all coming back into the team.
Porterfield and Paul Sterling, who started in a blaze against the Aussies, will open the batting for the home side and Ireland also have run getters in Kevin O’Brien, Andrew White and vice captain Trent Johnston.
Bangladesh will be looking to the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Virender Sehwag, two of the most exciting batsman in international cricket, and they come into the games against Ireland at 1-3 favourites.
‘It’s always good to play teams above you in the rankings,’ said Irish coach Phil Simmons.
‘They beat England and for us to beat them would be a huge feather in our cap leading into our preparations for next year’s World Cup finals.’
‘They play cricket in certain way and they are not going to change that free flowing style, so I’m expecting runs, but don’t forget we have batsmen who can also score at a fast rate.’
Ireland have beaten Bangladesh twice in their last two meetings, the first during the 2007 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados, when they won by 74 runs, and the second in the Twenty20 World Cup finals at Trent Bridge in Nottingham last year.
Thursday’s and Friday’s games at Stormont both have 10.45am starts.
