CRICKET/Richard Gillistalks to Ireland captain Trent Johnston who aims for a back-to-basics game plan

Ireland's cricketers have become a popular addition to the social scene here and are being feted by the local brass. Last night they spent the evening on board the Mayor of Kingston's boat, cruising around the bay. It was one of those functions that seem like a good idea at the time: local politicians meeting the players over warm Liebfraumilch and crustless cucumber sandwiches.

But after five hours of small talk and witty speeches, the mayor's boat began to resemble a prison ship set adrift off Devil's Island. With a decent tide you could almost swim to Miami in five hours from here. Don't think it wasn't discussed. It was an evening that made Papillon look like a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Yesterday was final practice day ahead of Ireland's first appearance at the World Cup, against Zimbabwe. The condition of the net facilities at Sabina Park were deemed sub-standard by West Indies and Pakistan before Tuesday's bruising encounter.

Incredibly, the nets had been used to dump building rubbish in the race to get the stadium finished in time. So it was that Ireland made their way to the Kensington Oval, before doing some fielding drills at Sabina in the afternoon.

The talk around the breakfast tables was of lessons to be taken from the opening match that saw the hosts beat Pakistan. Captain Trent Johnston took heart from the success of the West Indies bowling attack.

"It showed us that we don't have to bowl at 90mph plus to be successful at this World Cup," he told The Irish Times. Johnston hopes that he, along with Andre Botha and David Langford-Smith, can suffocate the Zimbaweans batsman as effectively as did Dwaynes Bravo and Smith against the Pakistan team.

"They got very good players out by applying pressure," says Johnston. "That's what we have to do. We have to bore them out."

As we talked, the television in the hotel lobby was showing the initial overs of Scotland's game against Australia. The Scots won the toss and put the Aussies in to bat. The same strategy used by Pakistan on Tuesday.

This is looking like a trend. The theory is simple enough. All games at this World Cup will start at 9.30am and early start times often produce early wickets for the bowling team because of helpful climatic conditions. In these days of internet betting it is forbidden for team members to give out information about the toss or team selection.

But it is little secret the Irish favour a run chase, "You don't have to be Einstein to work out our strength is our batting," says Johnston. "We've caused some huge upsets chasing."

He mentions the South Africa warm-up game where Langford-Smith and the captain reduced one of the best batting line ups in the tournament to 90 for 8, due to accurate bowling which exploited helpful conditions.

He echoes the back-to-basics motto being adopted by England captain Michael Vaughan in the run up to the tournament.

"We don't want to get too funky about it, we need to play well to our game plan and not mess with blokes' heads too much, because that's when it can go haywire."

Across the room, coach Adrian Birrell is standing with the huge figure of his successor, Phil Simmons, watching the TV as the Scots are put to the sword. Ireland's next coach is also Zimbabwe's ex-coach. This insider knowledge will prove to be an asset according to Johnston.

"Phil's in the camp and so if we don't have a good enough game plan to go and beat them we never will. The amount of information is huge. It is about us going to execute plans."

Part of which is to go out blazing at the end of the innings. The West Indies put on 57 in the last five overs, a match-winning piece of savagery. Ireland will look to a lower order of Andrew White, Langford Smith and Johnston himself to hit late runs.

"Lanky (Langford Smith) has hit five hundreds in senior cricket in Dublin, he's no mug. Andrew White is our finisher, he has a habit of being there at the end. Kyle McCallan has 160 caps and he is coming in at eight."

The time has come to stop talking and Johnston admits to being nervous ahead of the big day. Birrell has said many times he wants Ireland to play with a smile on their faces. No problem there. They're just happy to be back on dry land.