Malahide to host England visit

CRICKET:CRICKET IRELAND yesterday confirmed that Malahide will host next year's one-day international between Ireland and England at the redeveloped 11,500-capacity ground in north Dublin.

Ireland played England at a sold-out Stormont in their first official ODI back in June 2006 and further games at the Belfast venue in 2009 and last year in Clontarf have all been sold out.

Pending approval of Malahide by the International Cricket Council as a suitable ODI venue, the game on Tuesday September 3rd is expected to see the biggest crowd to ever attend a cricket game in Ireland.

International cricket will return to Malahide at the end of August when Ireland play South Africa ‘A’ in two Twenty20 fixtures at the ground. Welcome returns are also the order of the day at The Mardyke in Cork tomorrow as the beautiful ground plays host to the opening Inter-Regional clash between teams representing the South and North.

The first stage in Cricket Ireland’s move towards implementing a first-class cricketing structure on the island, the game is the first of its kind since a North Leinster side won the last such competition in 2004.

The South side features three players that took part in that series in the shape of South skipper Kevin O’Brien, former Ireland captain Trent Johnston and John Mooney, while North captain Andrew White also took part.

The greater experience in the South squad has them as favourites, while Pembroke’s Andrew Balbirnie will be looking to continue the form that saw him score a match-winning 148 not out for Ireland ‘A’ against Gloucestershire seconds in Bath during the week.

Merrion’s John Anderson, who also performed well in that game, is also named in the South squad, while the North’s Stuart Thompson is another who can impress the national selectors tomorrow.

Cricket Ireland president Jimmy Joyce has stepped down from the post due to personal reasons, with 2009 president Arthur Vincent assuming his duties.