CRICKET WORLD CUP GROUP B Ireland v England:IRELAND SKIPPER William Porterfield has gone deep purple in his bid to help raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society, but when it comes to today's massive World Cup encounter against England that's where the charity ends.
Porterfield, along with several other members of the Ireland squad, took part in the Shave or Dye campaign on Monday and viewers would be advised not to adjust the colour on their TV sets when the side take the field in the Chinnaswamy stadium this afternoon.
Monday’s visit to a local hair salon provided the squad with a bit of a distraction from their hectic schedule here in India, but they were back at work yesterday undertaking a three-hour session on a baking Bangalore morning.
Afterwards Porterfield confirmed all 15 players are “fit and raring to go” and just as importantly, have purged themselves of the poor batting display that saw them fail to chase down 205 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in their Group B opener.
“I think it’s pretty much gone now in terms of the mental side, I think the night after the game and day after the guys were pretty gutted,” admitted Porterfield.
“Anyone that loses a game like that, you’re going to be pretty down but that’s professional sport, it’s how you pick yourself back up from that.
“I think the lads are in good spirits, the last two days training have been pretty good and there was a good vibe there today so I’m pretty confident of where we’re at going into the game.”
Of course the conditions will be completely different from Dhaka for today’s encounter, with the pitch being used one across from the strip that yielded close on 700 runs in the epic tie between England and India last Sunday night.
And Porterfield is adamant his side will show their true colours with the bat after any chances of a victory in their opener was undone by some rash stroke play
“There’s no secret, our batting let us down, there were a few soft dismissals in there and it’s just a matter of being a bit tougher on ourselves.
“You can’t afford to give away a few wickets like that and I think it’s just being cricket smart when we’re out there, there’s nothing dramatic that has to change,” he added. Of course the fact England are the opposition has helped focus the minds of the Irish players, with former England player Ed Joyce among those who will want to make a statement in the fourth one-day meeting between the sides and second at a 50-over World Cup.
“Any Irish sports team playing against an English team is always pretty special for them and especially to people back home,” observed Porterfield. “They always wants to see us get one over on the English and I’m sure there will be plenty watching back home hoping for a positive result.”
Porterfield also revealed Ireland’s attempts to contain the England batting at the start of the innings could possibly see 18-year-old spinner George Dockrell being given the new ball against Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen.
Pietersen has been promoted to the top of the order to take advantage of the powerplay overs but has shown a genuine weakness to left-arm spin throughout his career, including already in this World Cup, with Dutchman Pieter Seelaar taking his scalp in their opening game.
“I think anything is possible, it’s definitely an option for us,” admitted Porterfield on adopting a horses for courses strategy up front with the ball.
“Obviously he’s bowled in the power plays for us before, he’s bowled in the first six in the T20 as well, so it’s not something new to himself, having the new ball. It’s definitely an option.”
Options are something coach Phil Simmons certainly has ahead of his team selection, with a full squad of 15 to choose from. Clontarf all-rounder Alex Cusack is set to come back into the team after missing the Bangladesh encounter, with one of Andy White or John Mooney likely to miss out.
England will decide this morning if Stuart Broad is fit enough to play after the all-rounder only returned to training yesterday following a stomach complaint.
Ireland’s Previous ODI Matches v England
JUNE 13TH, 2006,
STORMONT, BELFAST
England 301-7 (50 ovs) (Marcus Trescothick 113, Ian Bell 80; David Langford-Smith 3-63, John Mooney 3-79) Ireland 263-9 (50 ovs) (Andre Botha 52, Andrew White 40, Kevin OBrien 35, John Mooney 30 not out; Steve Harmison 3-58, Paul Collingwood 2-26, Ian Bell 2-39). England won by 38 runs.
A full-house adorned Stormont on a beautiful summer day for Ireland’s debut in One-Day Internationals, with many also taking a keen interest in how former Ireland star Ed Joyce would go on his ODI debut for England.
The answer would be not too good as the left-hander made 10 runs before becoming the first of David Langford-Smith’s three victims.
Joyce’s fellow opening batsmen Marcus Trescothick went on to make a majestic 113 and Ian Bell 80 in a total of 301 for seven.
Andre Botha top-scored with 52 in Ireland’s reply of 263 for nine, while Andy White (40), Kevin O’Brien (35) and John Mooney (35 not out) got in on the act.
MARCH 30TH, 2007,
WORLD CUP SUPER EIGHTS, Georgetown, Guyana
England 266-7 (50 ovs) (Paul Collingwood 90, Kevin Pietersen 48, Andrew Flintoff 43; Boyd Rankin 2-28), Ireland 218 all out (48.1 ovs) (Niall O’Brien 63, Andrew White 38, William Porterfield 31; Andrew Flintoff 4-43). England won by 48 runs.
Ed Joyce was again in Ireland’s sights and once more didn’t last long as Boyd Rankin sent his off pole hurtling backwards with his first delivery after he had scored just one.
Paul Collingwood rescued a shaky England batting display in this Super Eights clash with a gritty knock of 90 from 82 balls, while Kevin Pietersen (48) and Andrew Flintoff (43) also added some valuable runs in the middle order.
Ireland would lose opener Jeremy Bray and future England star Eoin Morgan with the score on 11. Niall O’Brien continued his fine performances in the Caribbean with a knock of 63 but once he departed, Andrew Flintoff finished off Ireland to grab four wickets.
AUGUST 27TH, 2009, STORMONT, BELFAST.
England 203-9 (50 ovs) (Joe Denly 67, Luke Wright 36; Trent Johnston 4-26, Andre Botha 2-38, Alex Cusack 2-41), Ireland (D/L target of 116 in 20 overs) 112-9 (20 ovs) (Paul Stirling 30, Trent Johnston 20 not out; Owais Shah 3-15, Tim Bresnan 2-10). England won by three runs (on D/L).
Eoin Morgan was left out by England but would still play a part in the outcome in a rain-affected clash in Belfast.
Trent Johnston made early breakthroughs with the new ball to dismiss Ravi Bopara and Jonathan Trott for a duck on his debut.
Another debutant, Joe Denly, steadied the ship with 67, while Luke Wright (36) and Matt Prior (29) were the other key contributers in England’s modest total of 203 for nine.
Heavy rain turned Ireland’s reply into a 20-over slog and chasing 116 they were well set on 64 for two before they collapsed to 94 for nine. A brave last wicket stand between Johnston and Kyle McCallan gave them hope of a victory but they still needed 17 runs from the last over.
Eight came off the first four balls before Johnston looked to have cleared the rope for a six. That was until Morgan, on as sub fielder, leapt high in the air on the long-on boundary and brilliantly parried the ball back into play with Ireland only picking up one run. A four off the final ball left them agonisingly four runs short.
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