Ireland take a huge step up in class when they face World Cup contenders South Africa in Canberra
Ireland remain one of only two unbeaten teams at the Cricket World Cup, but are also the last team with just two games played, meaning the games are now going to come thick and fast for William Porterfield's men.
Starting with tomorrow morning's clash with South Africa in Canberra (3.30am Irish time), the Irish play their remaining four Pool B games in the next 12 days, knowing at least one victory, and possibly two, will be required to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition.
The opposition
South Africa and Ireland's next opponents, India, are without doubt the class of Pool B, so attempting to single out particular players isn't all that easy, and with former Ireland coach Adrian Birrell now in the Proteas' backroom team there will be nobody in the camp taking the Irish threat lightly.
The pace bowling of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott should pose the Irish batting line-up questions they haven't yet had to answer in the tournament, while the off spin of Imran Tahir has yielded nine wickets in three games at an average of just 14.33 runs. The batting line-up is deep and powerful, with classy opener Hashim Amla adept at setting the platform for big hitters like David Miller, Rilee Roussow and JP Duminy.
Oh, and there's some lad called AB de Villiers as well. We hear he's pretty handy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddnov1sZD6U
The pitch
The Manuka Oval is a compact little ground in Australia's capital with a capacity of just over 13,500 and seems likely to provide a good batting pitch for its third and final World Cup match. Judging by the performances in the tournament so far (Chris Gayle hit his World Cup record 215 against Zimbabwe here), any total under 300 would be seen as below par. Ireland's attack will look to restrict South Africa's attack by taking pace off the ball and hoping accurate bowling will encourage rash shots from the Proteas hitters.
Irish players to watch
After highlighting man-of-the-match Gary Wilson before the victory over the UAE, let's hope our radar is working again this time. Skipper Porterfield has gotten himself set in both innings so far but failed to capitalise, and avoiding losing early wickets will be the key to mounting any sort of late innings charge to a decent total, so the opener will hope for a longer stay at the crease. Given the potency of the South African line-up, Kevin O'Brien's big bat will also be needed after his quickfire 50 against UAE showed he is in decent nick, but his bowling figures could be even more important to the result after his medium pace was shelled against both West Indies and UAE to the tune of more than eight an over.
Hopefully O'Brien can draw inspiration from four years ago today, when he wrote his name in the record books with the fastest World Cup hundred, off just 50 balls, against England in Bangalore, beating De Villiers' heroics above by just two deliveries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA7B5sYIpAA
What they've said
'It’s no fluke what he’s done. He’s done it a couple of times now over the last, what, six to eight weeks. As you said, he’s been in great nick, but I think you’ve just got to have your own simple plans and look after your own game. Each bowler has got their own skills. They’ve done it over a number of years. They’ve got to back themselves and back the field that’s been set and how well they want to get hit, and if he hits that over their heads or down their throats, then so be it.' - Porterfield on facing the in-form De Villiers.
'He is in a rich vein of form, but then he’s often in a rich vein of form. But we’re not a one-player team. I’m not sure there’s an attack in the world that can contain AB. It’s not just Ireland’s. If you don’t get him out he’s going to hurt you' - SA assistant coach Birrell on De Villiers.
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