On Cricket: The organisers of Ireland's two upcoming women's internationals against India have been inundated with enquiries from people who want to know when the games are, where they are taking place and how people can get tickets.
Interestingly, all the enquiries have been from Indians living here who want to go along to support their team and not Irish cricket fans keen to give the women's game a taste of the popularity the men are currently enjoying.
We are entering a very busy few weeks for the women's team as they head off this Thursday for a three-match tour of southern England. On Friday they will play England A in Sussex - the first time Ireland have played the English second string outfit. Then on Saturday they take on a strong Sussex team before playing top New Zealand side Canterbury on Sunday. It will be a tough tour and good preparation for the games against India the following weekend.
With a very professional approach to the game over there, India are one of the best teams in the world, having made it to the final of last year's World Cup in South Africa, where they lost in the final to Australia.
The first one-day international will take place in Park Avenue, Dublin, on Saturday, July 29th with another game the following day at Milverton, near Skerries, also in the capital. No tickets are required, admission is free and national coach Miriam Grealey is looking for as much support as possible.
"I am told there will be lots of Indian supporters coming out for these games and of course they are very welcome," she said. "But we want as many Irish people there as possible so that it doesn't feel like we are playing them in their own back yard."
After the Indian tour there will be a break before the Dutch arrive towards the end of August. Ireland will play three one-day games against the Netherlands on August 21st, 22nd and 23rd, the first two in Rathmines and the third in Park Avenue.
If you sense there is a strong Leinster bias surrounding women's cricket at the moment, it is because the entire team is based in clubs in Dublin and the game is suffering a serious lull in the North.
The relative weakness of the women's game north of the Border is something that should worry everyone involved with the administration of cricket on this island.
"I am positive about the development of women's cricket but I would like to see more girls from the Northern Cricket Union and the Northwest pushing for places," said Grealey, herself a former captain of Ireland.
"There are no underage teams representing Ulster at the moment but I know there are some very good players up there. It is just a matter of pushing them on. But if there is no Ulster side in the interprovincial competition it is difficult for the selectors to get a good look at them," she said.
Although many people feel women's cricket does not receive the recognition it deserves from the Irish Cricket Union in terms of development and financial investment, Grealey is quick to point out that things are much better now that the Irish Women's Cricket Union is incorporated into the ICU. They also have a generous sponsor in the form of Bosch home appliances.
"It has taken most of the financial strain off us. It has all become a lot more professional," said Grealey. "When I started, we had to pay for our own gear and if we went away on tours we had to pay our own way or spend weeks selling raffle tickets to pay for it.
"The men's game will always come first with the ICU but I suppose they bring in more money. But we are faring a lot better than even five or 10 years ago . . . I am really looking forward to the India games. It should be a great occasion and hopefully, plenty of people will come down to support us," she said.
Upcoming women's fixtures
Friday, July 21st: England A v Ireland, Lancing College, Sussex. July 22nd: Sussex v Ireland, Lancing College, Sussex. July 23rd: Ireland v Canterbury (New Zealand), Lancing College, Sussex. Saturday, July 29th: Ireland v India, Park Avenue. July 30th: Ireland v India, Milverton. Monday, August 21st: Ireland v Netherlands, Rathmines. August 22nd: Ireland v Netherlands, Rathmines. August 23rd: Ireland v Netherlands, Park Avenue.
IRELAND WOMEN'S SQUAD
(for tour of Sussex): Heather Whelan ( YMCA, capt), Nicki Coffey (YMCA), Catriona Beggs (Malahide), Clare Shillington (Malahide), Marianne Herbert (Malahide), Isobel Joyce (Merrion), Cecelia Joyce (Merrion), Jill Whelan (Merrion), Jillian Smythe (Merrion), Emma Beamish (Merrion), Jo Day (Pembroke), Ciara Metcalfe (Pembroke), Eimear Richardson (Leinster).
Coach: Miriam Grealey.
Manager: Sandra Dawson.
