Niall O'Brien: "Pakistan game will be the biggest in Irish cricket history"

[MenInG]

We still have it in our own hands and know that there’s several teams would love to be in the position we find ourselves in. Pakistan will be an extremely difficult test but it’s still up to us.

India are a superb side and, just like after the defeat against South Africa, we’ve got to be realistic. That said ,they certainly knew they were in a game when William Porterfield and Paul Stirling came flying out of the blocks and it took some fine bowling for them to drag the game back.

The opening stand was comfortably the highest one which India have conceded so far in this tournament, as was our eventual total, but we knew we had a chance to get a score of above 300 but just lost too many wickets at crucial stages.

We spent alot of the winter working on not losing wickets in pairs but that’s what we did and it halted our momentum several times just as we were looking to push on.

I came in at four after Ed Joyce was out early but because the two openers had given us such a flying start and got us ahead of the game, I knew I had a little bit of time to get my eye in starting off against spin.

I managed to do that with 75 off as many balls including one shot which the fielder very kindly parried over the boundary rope for six just after I’d reached my half century.

We were looking to push on a bit and, as I started to come down the wicket, the plan had been to hit the ball to the other side of the ground. It was a quick adjustment and a bit of an ugly hoick but it all looks the same in the scoreboard.

Andy Balbirnie was giving me a bit of stick for aiming at the biggest boundary on what is generally a small ground but it got there which was the main thing and I was able to add a few more runs. Unfortunately, I got out soon after and we fell away to finish up with a score that, realistically, was never going to be enough.

We knew we would have a second bite at the cherry on Sunday against Pakistan so the mood in the camp is grand. It’s never a good day to lose but we walked away from the ground with our heads held high and really focussed on what will be the biggest game in Ireland’s cricket history.

Pakistan have some excellent left-arm quick bowlers in their line-up so we’ll have to play well but that’s a given at this stage of a competition when you’re trying to get into the quarter-finals for the first time.

Sunday will be two days short of the eight year anniversary of that famous St Patrick’s Day win against them in Kingston which really launched many of this team on the world stage.

We’ve a chance to make even more history for Irish cricket and there’s a belief among everyone that we can do it. The celebration in Kingston were legendary, they’ll be even greater if we can beat them again in Adelaide.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/oth...iggest-in-irish-cricket-history-31056714.html

 

[SpiritOf1903]

They will most certainly be up for it. Seroislu dangerous with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[Major]

Why you pressure on us

 

[Major]

btw i have a dream where it felt like as if Pakistan lost or dint qualify to the quaters

 

[Zohaib Shah]

Pakistan will destroy Ireland like they are nothing.

 

[90MPH]

Ireland will have a chance if another green pitch is prepared like in 2007 for them.

Their dibbly dobbly bowlers will become dangerous demons if that happens again.

 

[Hamza78]

Green pitch or flat Ireland has no chance

 

[razabbas]

Ireland will have a chance if another green pitch is prepared like in 2007 for them.

Their dibbly dobbly bowlers will become dangerous demons if that happens again.

huge huge diffrence between Rana , gul , Rao and Irfan , sohail , rahat , wahab

 

[razabbas]

Why you pressure on us

Only if dreams would come true Pakistan would have never lose any match

 

[Khan88]

Green pitch or flat Ireland has no chance

Please be humble. They've knocked us out before when they were a much worse side. They also beat a team in this tournament that crushed us.

 

[Classyshot]

btw i have a dream where it felt like as if Pakistan lost or dint qualify to the quaters

your dream will obviously won't come true.

 

[razazaidi]

We have to take them seriously. They deserve respect

 

[razazaidi]

May the best team green win

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Please be humble. They've knocked us out before when they were a much worse side. They also beat a team in this tournament that crushed us.
View attachment 55168

This

If Ireland bat first And Pakistan don't put the brakes on like India did, there's going to be trouble and not the boom boom kind

 

[RehanG]

huge huge diffrence between Rana , gul , Rao and Irfan , sohail , rahat , wahab

This.
people just don´t realize this,
last time around umpires were also favoring.. Irish, and we were very unlucky with few dismissals

 

[Big Mac]

You guys better not be talking trash about my boy Ranadinho or we're going to have trouble.

 

[Classyshot]

This.
people just don´t realize this,
last time around umpires were also favoring.. Irish, and we were very unlucky with few dismissals

No, we were lucky on picking up one wicket on bat & pad. Ball clearly didn't hit anything except for batsman pads.

 

[Classyshot]

You guys better not be talking trash about my boy Ranadinho or we're going to have trouble.

Yaar, Tumhara screen name dehkay Big Mac ki craving horahi hai, but unfortunately those things are not halal

 

[farazaidi]

Pakistan have some excellent left-arm quick bowlers in their line-up

I see he doesnt rate Sohail Khan, no surprises there

 

[Bewal Express]

I bet next to nobody in Ireland cares about their exploits and the vast majority of the population have never ever heard of cricket. This makes their achievements even greater.

 

[deathstreak]

huge huge diffrence between Rana , gul , Rao and Irfan , sohail , rahat , wahab

Also Sami, isnt he supposed to be a very decent ODI bowler?

And your batting?
Does it match up to Inzamam and Yusuf?
Does anyone in your line up match them ?

 

[Donal Cozzie]

I bet next to nobody in Ireland cares about their exploits and the vast majority of the population have never ever heard of cricket. This makes their achievements even greater.

Every single thing about this sentence is wrong. Literally everything.

Oh and [MENTION=13411]RehanG[/MENTION]

Umpires were definitely biased in favour of Ireland. Not a doubt

 

[Hamza78]

Please be humble. They've knocked us out before when they were a much worse side. They also beat a team in this tournament that crushed us.
View attachment 55168

This time around no chance 2007 gone that's 2015 no chance for Ireland

 

[yadunoe]

they seemed fired up we will need to play well to beat them

 

[PakWC1992]

Please be humble. They've knocked us out before when they were a much worse side. They also beat a team in this tournament that crushed us.
View attachment 55168

Lol, even Bangladesh beat us in the World Cups, what's your point?

It's not happening again.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Ireland doesn't have a mental block against Pakistan like our players. They have always competed against Pakistan, they even handled Hafeez and ajmal well, so people who were talking about bringing in Yasir Shah will get an Irish delight. The last two matches between the two sides have been pretty close. One match was a tie and the other one Pakistan crawled towards a victory.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/601612.html (Ajmal was wicketless and spanked for 71 runs :133 )

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/601613.html (Pakistan won by 2 wickets, would have lost it, Wahab's heroics saved it)

This will be the third best match of this world cup, I reckon.

 

[SamNJ]

Sub 100 score coming for Irish boys.

 

[Logical]

Ireland will get thrashed.

 

[Electron]

Ireland will have a chance if another green pitch is prepared like in 2007 for them.

Their dibbly dobbly bowlers will become dangerous demons if that happens again.

This.
people just don´t realize this,
last time around umpires were also favoring.. Irish, and we were very unlucky with few dismissals

So sad. So many Pakistani posters never credit the opposition and prefer to come up with false conspiracy theories.

 

[hur rizvi]

Ireland have nothing to lose Pakistan have all to lose.....

So we need not be complacent, otherwise something like 2007 can happen

 

[sachintendulkar76]

Some of the Pakistani fans here are sore losers. Never give credit to winning team.

 

[msb314]

huge huge diffrence between Rana , gul , Rao and Irfan , sohail , rahat , wahab

Lets not make excuses - Rana Naved and Iftikhar Rao were both decent bowlers back in 2007 whilst Gul was also fairly accurate. We really should have won back in 2007....

 

[Convict]

Hopefully Pakistan win.

It won't in anyway make up for the test series but knocking you out of the world cup will be decent revenge

 

[#GreenRoars]

play like cornered tigers,
go for kill,
and win the match.
No drop catches,
pak will win by the Grace of Allah

 

[Ikball]

Please be humble. They've knocked us out before when they were a much worse side. They also beat a team in this tournament that crushed us.
View attachment 55168

And our team has defeated mighty SA for the first time in WC history.;

 

[DrSchultz]

And our team has defeated mighty SA for the first time in WC history.;

SA aren't mighty. India beat them easily.

 

[Zaad]

expect a heavy defeat for Irish cricket. Pakistan will walk over!

 

[dhump]

Please dont beat us we will travel back after quarterfinals but not now not again.

 

[razabbas]

Some of the Pakistani fans here are sore losers. Never give credit to winning team.

And who have won ?

 

[the Great Khan]

match scares the hell out of me..lol..

 

[Executioner]

I really want Irish to win and qualify to the quarters. Yes they hve to face Australia but that QF place means a lot.

To Pakistan this match isn't of any value, sorry. Unless you lose by 300 runs I don't think it will really matter. Facing NZ in NZ or Aus in Aus won't make a huge difference by any stretch. But to Irish fans it will be absolutely wonderful if they do win. They deserve it.

 

[hashmist]

I really want Irish to win and qualify to the quarters. Yes they hve to face Australia but that QF place means a lot.

To Pakistan this match isn't of any value, sorry. Unless you lose by 300 runs I don't think it will really matter. Facing NZ in NZ or Aus in Aus won't make a huge difference by any stretch. But to Irish fans it will be absolutely wonderful if they do win. They deserve it.

Isn't of any value?? Which points table are you looking at? Pak can be knocked out by losing this match.

This will be a massive match for Pakistan. Like many others have written above they have nothing to lose and everything to gain so they will be very loose. We on the other hand have everything to lose, and pressure plays a big part in cricket, just like golf, bc you have so much time to think/overthink. I am nervous. We play much better as underdogs, like the match against SA. We are not very good front runners.

 

[RamLakhan]

And this is the last match of the entire league! And a very important decider!

 

[dildilpak]

Ireland will get thrashed.

I would take the game against Ireland very seriously - admittedly their bowling is weak but so is our batting, especially while chasing- if they bat first and put up a decent score (270 plus), we can be in trouble. We have already seen England packing their bags due to a minnow team, don't want the same fate to befall Pak because of our over-confidence.

 

[RamLakhan]

I feel Pakistan and Ireland will both qualify from this group. Somehow I feel West Indies will either lose the match, tie the match or the match is called off due to rain!

Even if West Indies manage to win the match, Pakistan is I think safe (because they can win the Ireland match or at the most lose in a close contest and even West Indies may win in a close contest so there is not much damage to the NRR).

Ireland's bowling can be blamed if they happen to miss out the QF, and similarly West Indies Bowling can be appreciated if they make into QF (especially their show against India)

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

You guys better not be talking trash about my boy Ranadinho or we're going to have trouble.

What about Gulaldo and Raodinho?

 

[Asif321]

Ireland can win by winning toss batting first score 270-290
and get Pakistan 40-2 . its game over
however if they bowl first they need to restrict Pakistan to 230 otherwise no chance

 

[hur rizvi]

It will be an interesting game, Ireland have no faith in their bowling and hate to defend even 300+ totals and Pakistan have no faith in their batting to chase 200+ totals

 

[Mamoon]

Yaar, Tumhara screen name dehkay Big Mac ki craving horahi hai, but unfortunately those things are not halal

Has to the most overrated McDonald's product ever.

 

[osee_bhai]

If they end up batting first, I'd be afraid. I'd be more confident batting first, even if we collapse we have the likes of Misbah to put up a respectable total, which our bowling can defend.

 

[Executioner]

Isn't of any value?? Which points table are you looking at? Pak can be knocked out by losing this match.

This will be a massive match for Pakistan. Like many others have written above they have nothing to lose and everything to gain so they will be very loose. We on the other hand have everything to lose, and pressure plays a big part in cricket, just like golf, bc you have so much time to think/overthink. I am nervous. We play much better as underdogs, like the match against SA. We are not very good front runners.

The thing is Pakistan are definitely going to qualify, well I almost sure. For Pakistan to be knocked out they have to lose by a mammoth margin and WI have to beat UAE by a big margin too but it is very unlikely. Pakistan probably will be facing Australia or NZ.

 

[Abdullah719]

DUBLIN – Long-term Irish international, a pivotal member of the oft-described “golden generation” of Irish Men’s cricket, Niall O’Brien has announced today that he is calling time on his international and first-class cricket career after 16 years at the top.

The 36-year old Dubliner, made his international debut for Ireland in 2002 when he stepped out at Stormont in Belfast to play a one-day match against Denmark. In the intervening 16 years, O’Brien appeared 216 times for the national side, leaving the game as Ireland’s most successful wicketkeeper with 241 international dismissals to his name.

Not just a prolific figure behind the stumps, O’Brien finishes his career as fourth highest run-scorer for Ireland with 6,097 runs at an average of 31.59, including eight centuries and 33 half-centuries. His highest score of 176 against the UAE in 2005 was almost eclipsed a few years later when he hit 174 against the same side in 2008.

The son of Irish international Brendan “Ginger” O’Brien, Niall played much of his career in green alongside his younger brother Kevin. When international players were asked to decide on squad numbers for international white-ball cricket, O’Brien chose the number “72” in honour of his match-winning total in the famous Irish win over Pakistan at the Cricket World Cup in 2007.

Announcing his decision, O’Brien said:

“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my retirement from international and professional cricket. I have been blessed to have been lucky enough to have represented my country for 16 years with plenty more ups than downs and for this I look back with nothing but smiles and laughter.”

“I would like to thank all my coaches and teammates who along the way have helped me become the player I was. I have had too many coaches to mention them all but a special thanks must go to Adrian “Adi” Birrell who took a chance on me in 2002 and who arranged a trial at Kent from where I started my 14-year county career which was an absolute privilege and an honour.”

“I always tried to play with a smile on my face and with an enjoyment that I think all people could see whether watching from the stands, standing with me in the field or coming up against me for the opposition. Hard work was always behind my performance and I will take this same ethos into the next phase of my career where I have been working in the Sports Agency business for the last 2 years alongside my playing commitments and will continue to pursue this avenue.”

“I have always had a keen interest in working within the media and I am extremely keen to gain more opportunities moving forward and with Ireland having more exposure on the global stage I am hopeful to be working on plenty of Ireland games in the near future. I will also be looking to put my Level 3 coaching badge to good use and hope to work with some of the next generation moving forward.”

“I would like to say a special thank you to Railway Union Cricket Club and all its members for helping me in the early years and especially Brian Donnelly who was an absolute hero to all young players in the club back in the day.”

“To all at Cricket Ireland a sincere thank you for allowing me to wear the shamrock for 16 years. There are too many fond memories to mention so I just wish the team and the organisation all the very best for the future and I will be watching keenly from afar. From playing relatively small fixtures at the start of my career to competing and winningworld cup matches to being there to play in our first Test match meant I have achieved more than I could have ever dreamt and for this I look back with nothing but fondness.”

“Finally, and most importantly, thank you to my family for all the guidance and support down the years whether it was driving me to matches, throwing balls to me in the garden or travelling to the Caribbean to watch me play. Without you I would not have amounted to anything on the field so a huge thank you to all the O’Briens.”

“Now is a time for myself and my wonderful wife Bex to welcome our new addition into the world and enjoy some family time together.”


Graham Ford, Head Coach of the men’s international side, said:

“I first met Niall in 2005 when I coached Kent and he was a young member of the Kent squad. He immediately struck me as a fine example of what a professional cricketer should be. Since then I have followed his wonderful career with much interest, and over the years he has put in many special performances.”

“He can be well proud of what he has achieved on the field but he can be equally proud of how he has operated as a professional cricketer and the manner in which he has played the game. He was an extremely tough competitor and played it very, very hard. At the same time he always showed respect for the game and the opposition. After a tough day he was always happy to have a chat and a laugh with his teammates and the opposition.”

“It will be tough for Niall to walk away after so many years, but it is nice to know that he walks away having gained many special and lasting friendships from his time in the game.”


William Porterfield, Ireland’s Test and One-Day captain, and long-term teammate of O’Brien’s, said:

“It’s always a sad time when someone who has had a great career and played such a big part in the evolution of Irish cricket. Niall, along with the likes of Ed Joyce, showed what was possible at the time for young Irish cricketers at the time, in forging a great career in the county game.”

“Alongside that he had a great international career. Niall would have been involved when we only had a couple of games a year, and I’m sure he will sit back and reflect with great pride when he sees where he has helped get Ireland to. From his Man of the Match innings in the 2007 World Cup that helped put Ireland on the global map, to walking out in Ireland’s inaugural test match. He can be immensely proud of that and everything else he achieved in his career and fully deserves all the plaudits I’m sure he will get. I would personally like to wish him all the very best for a successful future.”


Richard Holdsworth, Performance Director at Cricket Ireland, said:

“Niall O’Brien’s career has been symbolic of the rise of Irish cricket – while he grew up the son of an international cricketer, cricket was still a minority sport in his home country and he worked hard to pursue his dream of forging a professional career for himself. He has the distinction of being central to one of those truly iconic Irish sporting moments – the World Cup win over Pakistan in 2007. While he had many more achievements throughout his career subsequent to this, it is the part he played in that win that etched him into the Irish sporting psyche and something he should be justifiably proud of.”

“All coaches and staff of Cricket Ireland wish Niall the best in the next step in his career – it has been a rollercoaster ride these last ten years in Irish cricket, and Niall has been one of those who fought hard to get us to where we are today.”


Reacting to the news, former Ireland Coach Adi Birrell, now based in his home country of South Africa, said:

“Niall and Andrew White were the first two Irish players I met - they were both at the Emerging Players academy before I became Irish coach. I was immediately impressed with Niall's attitude and work ethic which was the main reason for his selection. Now, 16 years later, Niall can be immensely proud of his enormous contribution in the progress of Irish Cricket. His 72 in the World Cup win against Pakistan will always be etched in my memory and is typical of his guts and determination. He has delighted and infuriated us equally at times but will be remembered fondly for many generations.”

 

[Donal Cozzie]

An absolutely magnificent servant of the game of cricket in Ireland and a great example for wicket keepers to follow. Chatty and cheeky as hell, always played fair and gave his all. In addition he was legitimately one of the best wicket keepers in world cricket in terms of stumpings and catches although not many will remember this due to his lack of exposure for most of his career as Ireland got few matches. Will never forget in an Intercontinental Cup game vs the Afghans in 2013 he actually learned some swear words in Pashto to distract the Afghanis

That innings vs Pakistan will easily go down as the most important in Irish cricketing history and on a green pitch vs a fired up Pakistan unit he was magnificent. I dont think he quite fulfilled his talent on the international stage (only has a solitary ODI hundred which he got last year) however his commitment was never in doubt and neither was his quality. Without him we wouldnt be where we are today. A model county professional as well, for years being one of the best players for a Leicestershire side who struggled badly, Niall was often one of the few players to stand up.

A career with plenty to be proud of and he leaves us in a much better place than when he began. Will always be indebted to him for that and wish him all the best in his future commentary and coaching spells.