All-rounder O’Brien was impressed by the way the Middle East side nearly pulled off an upset before losing to Zimbabwe. PHOTO: AFP
Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien has warned his side their World Cup win over the West Indies will “mean nothing” if they don’t see off the UAE in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Victory against their fellow Associate nation would leave the Irish on the brink of the quarter-finals after they started the tournament with the latest of several World Cup wins over a Test team courtesy of a four-wicket triumph against the West Indies in Nelson on February 16.
“It’s gone — as great a result as it was,” said O’Brien. “It will mean nothing if we don’t win on Wednesday.”
Several members of the Ireland side play for English county teams and they will look to the likes of Middlesex’s Paul Stirling, who made 92 against the West Indies, and Sussex’s Ed Joyce, who scored 84, to carry on from where they left off in a match where Somerset left-arm spinner George Dockrell took 3-50.
Ireland and the UAE have met several times in lower-level International Cricket Council competitions in recent years and all-rounder O’Brien was impressed by the way the Middle East side nearly pulled off an upset before losing to Zimbabwe by four wickets in their opening Pool B match.
“They really pushed Zimbabwe and it was only very good batting performances from Sean Williams and Craig Ervine that got them over the line,” said O’Brien.
“The UAE have some very good players. They ran us close in the World Twenty20 qualifiers a couple of years ago when they needed two or three off the last ball but ‘TJ’ [Trent Johnston] bowled a very good ball and denied them.”
Khurram eyes UAE success
The UAE believe their Pool B match against Ireland in Brisbane offers them a “wonderful opportunity” of a World Cup win, according to batsman Khurram Khan.
Both teams will fancy their chances at Brisbane’s Gabba ground and Khurram said on Tuesday, “I think it’s going to be a very important game, obviously. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity because it’s a very important game for both.”
Asked where the team needed to improve most on their performance against Zimbabwe, Khurram was clear. “Definitely I would say in the fielding. We missed three run-out chances.”
Khurram added the Associates needed more matches against higher-ranked sides between World Cups, saying it was the only way to ensure they made sustained progress. “You’ve seen some of the [Associates’ World Cup] games. They’ve been crucial and close games, and we’re looking forward to having some good games.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2015.
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