Northern Ireland national cricket team
Encyclopedia
The Northern Ireland national cricket team has represented Northern Ireland
in international cricket
competition once, in the 1998 Commonwealth Games
.
is usually organised on an all-Ireland basis, with the national side representing both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
. However, for the cricket tournament
at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, a Northern Ireland team took part, as the Republic is not a member of the Commonwealth
. It remains the only appearance of such a side in international cricket.
The tournament started for Northern Ireland with a match against South Africa. Northern Ireland scored 89/5 before rain brought an end to their innings in the 39th over. A target of 131 from 38 overs was set using the Duckworth-Lewis method
for South Africa, which they achieved in the 32nd over, Dale Benkenstein
scoring 44 not out
. Ryan Eagleson
took 3/28 for the Northern Irish team.
Their second match was against Barbados
, and Barbados scored 296/5 from their 50 overs, Philo Wallace
top scoring with 92. Northern Ireland could only score 120/7 in reply, Stephen Smyth
top scoring with 58, losing by 176 runs.
Northern Ireland picked up their only win in their third match, against Bangladesh. Northern Ireland batted first and were bowled out for 177, with Kyle McCallan
scoring an unbeaten 53. They then bowled out their opponents for 63 with Gordon Cooke
taking five wickets.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in international cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
competition once, in the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
.
History
Cricket in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
is usually organised on an all-Ireland basis, with the national side representing both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. However, for the cricket tournament
Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
Cricket was included in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. This was the first—and, to date, only—time cricket has been played at a Commonwealth Games. Matches were played over 50 overs, and had List A status, although they were not full One Day Internationals...
at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, a Northern Ireland team took part, as the Republic is not a member of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
. It remains the only appearance of such a side in international cricket.
The tournament started for Northern Ireland with a match against South Africa. Northern Ireland scored 89/5 before rain brought an end to their innings in the 39th over. A target of 131 from 38 overs was set using the Duckworth-Lewis method
Duckworth-Lewis method
In the sport of cricket, the Duckworth–Lewis method is a mathematical formulation designed to calculate the target score for the team batting second in a one-day cricket or Twenty20 cricket match interrupted by weather or other circumstance...
for South Africa, which they achieved in the 32nd over, Dale Benkenstein
Dale Benkenstein
-External links:****...
scoring 44 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
. Ryan Eagleson
Ryan Eagleson
Ryan Logan Eagleson is a former Irish cricketer.A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, he made his debut for the Ireland cricket team against the Duchess of Norfolk's XI at Arundel Castle in June 1995 and went on to play for them on 65 occasions in all, his last match coming...
took 3/28 for the Northern Irish team.
Their second match was against Barbados
Barbados national cricket team
The Barbadian cricket team is the representative first class cricket team of Barbados.It does not take part in any international competitions , but rather in inter-regional competitions in the Caribbean, such as the Regional Four Day Competition and the WICB Cup, and the best players may be...
, and Barbados scored 296/5 from their 50 overs, Philo Wallace
Philo Wallace
Philo Alphonso Wallace is a Barbadian cricketer who plays for the West Indies.Having first attempted to get into cricket in 1990, he made the big time in 1997–98 after hitting 198 runs in two Test matches...
top scoring with 92. Northern Ireland could only score 120/7 in reply, Stephen Smyth
Stephen Smyth
Stephen Smyth is a former Irish cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman. He made his début for Ireland against Worcestershire in 1990, eventually playing for his country on 64 occasions, including five first-class and ten List A matches...
top scoring with 58, losing by 176 runs.
Northern Ireland picked up their only win in their third match, against Bangladesh. Northern Ireland batted first and were bowled out for 177, with Kyle McCallan
Kyle McCallan
William Kyle McCallan, MBE , usually known as Kyle McCallan, is an Irish cricketer. A right-handed batsman and off spin bowler, he has played more times for the Ireland cricket team than any other player, more than 40 caps ahead of the next player in the table, the retired Peter Gillespie...
scoring an unbeaten 53. They then bowled out their opponents for 63 with Gordon Cooke
Gordon Cooke
Gordon Cooke is a former Irish cricketer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he played 66 times for the Irish cricket team between 1994 and 2005....
taking five wickets.
Players
The following players played for Northern Ireland in their only tournament:- Neil Anderson
- Neil CarsonNeil CarsonNeil Carson is a former Irish cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler. His career playing for Ireland got off to a great start in 1998 with a half-century against Bangladesh, and he went on to represent his country on 22 occasions, including two first-class and...
- Gordon CookeGordon CookeGordon Cooke is a former Irish cricketer, from Derry, Northern Ireland. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he played 66 times for the Irish cricket team between 1994 and 2005....
- Dekker CurryDekker CurryJohn Desmond "Dekker" Curry is a former Irish cricketer. A left-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler, he made his debut for the Ireland cricket team against an England Amateur team in July 1992, and went on to represent Ireland on 50 occasions, his last game coming against Scotland in the...
- Ryan EaglesonRyan EaglesonRyan Logan Eagleson is a former Irish cricketer.A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, he made his debut for the Ireland cricket team against the Duchess of Norfolk's XI at Arundel Castle in June 1995 and went on to play for them on 65 occasions in all, his last match coming...
- Peter GillespiePeter GillespiePeter Gerard Gillespie is an Irish cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he had played for the Ireland cricket team 116 times up to the start of the 2007 World Cup, including twelve first-class matches and 35 List A matches, four of which were One Day International...
- Derek HeasleyDerek HeasleyDerek Heasley is an Irish cricket player. He is a right-handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. He made his debut for Ireland against Surrey on 14 May 1996 and has played for them 60 times in all, including two ICC Trophy tournaments in 1997 and 2001...
- Kyle McCallanKyle McCallanWilliam Kyle McCallan, MBE , usually known as Kyle McCallan, is an Irish cricketer. A right-handed batsman and off spin bowler, he has played more times for the Ireland cricket team than any other player, more than 40 caps ahead of the next player in the table, the retired Peter Gillespie...
- Paul McCrumPaul McCrumPaul McCrum is an Irish former cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, he played 74 times for the Ireland cricket team between 1989 and 1998 including four first-class matches against Scotland and 16 List A matches...
- Gary NeelyGary NeelyGary Neely is an Irish cricketer. He is a right-handed tailending batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
- Andrew PattersonAndrew PattersonAndrew Patterson is a former Irish cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper. He made his debut for Ireland against Wales in 1996, and went onto play for them in 61 matches, including two ICC Trophy tournaments...
- Alan RutherfordAlan RutherfordAlan Rutherford is a former Irish cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper...
- Stephen SmythStephen SmythStephen Smyth is a former Irish cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman. He made his début for Ireland against Worcestershire in 1990, eventually playing for his country on 64 occasions, including five first-class and ten List A matches...