Cricket News: St Patrick's Day in Jamaica awaits Irish cricketers and supporters in the 2007 World Cup as the national side will take on Pakistan in a sea of green in Kingston on March 17th.
The schedule, announced in Trinidad yesterday, suggests Ireland will play their first match in the World Cup against Zimbabwe in the newly redeveloped Sabina Park ground two days earlier on Thursday, March 15th.
Their final game will be against host team West Indies in front of what should be a typically partisan and rum-fuelled Jamaican crowd on March 23rd.
Defending champions Australia will open their tournament against Scotland in St Kitts on March 14th. Overall, the 16-team tournament will involve the playing of 51 matches with the final taking place on April 28th in Barbados.
Before the tournaments starts, Ireland will play two warm-up games in Trinidad, one against Pakistan and one against Canada, who they beat in the semi-final of the ICC Trophy earlier this month in Castle Avenue, Dublin. The draw is about as good as it could be for Ireland, facing the weakest side in the first game and having plenty of time to prepare ahead of their match with the West Indies, whom they beat in a one-day international in Belfast last summer.
"It seems strange that we are playing Pakistan in a warm-up game as we will face them in the World Cup proper," said coach Adrian Birrell. "But we will certainly settle for Zimbabwe first up. It is a good thing to work towards," he said.
The top two teams in each of the four sections will then progress to the Super Eight stage running from March 27th until April 22nd. The semi-finals will take place in Sabina Park and Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia on April 24th and 25th with the final in the 3Ws Stadium, Barbados.
"We have a lot to talk about now the dates are finalised," said Birrell. "We will be having meetings in the near future about our preparations. There is a big (ICC) meeting in Dubai at the end of the year which I will be going to discuss everything.
"We will definitely be doing some warm-weather, hard-wicket training before we go but at the moment I don't know where that will be."
The event mascot is a teenage character called Mello, designed to embody the relaxed lifestyle of the region.
2007ICC World Cup dates
WARM-UP MATCHES
Tuesday, March 6th, Ireland v Pakistan, Trinidad
Thursday, March 8th, Ireland v Canada, Trinidad
Sunday, March 11th, opening ceremony Group D
Tuesday, March 13th, West Indies v Pakistan, Jamaica
Thursday, March 15th, Ireland v Zimbabwe, Jamaica
Saturday, March 17th, Ireland v Pakistan, Jamaica
Monday, March 19th, West Indies v Zimbabwe, Jamaica
Wednesday, March 21st, Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Jamaica
Friday, March 23rd, Ireland v West Indies, Jamaica
SUPER EIGHT: March 27th - April 22nd: in Antigua, Grenada, Guyana and Barbados. Semi-finals: April 24th, Jamaica April 25th, St Lucia. Final: April 28th, Barbados.
