[Match Thread: Ireland v Zimbabwe HSC]

[sloandog]

Nyumbu really fell off the radar. Apparently enjoyed his fame more than actually playing cricket.

This Ireland game is huge for both teams. Our batsmen must fire, not just one of them but 3/4 of them.

Yea we need to make sure we bowl first and keep them to a low total.
I can't wait to get this on TV

[Googly]

It’s bigger than a WC final in my opinion. There’s a lot at stake here, I’d be choking in my sleep!
I watched that famous 400 run chase Proteas Aussie ODI the other day, Cullinan was commentating and with 3 balls to go was gloating about “who are the chokers now!!” only to have Andrew Hall bottle the next ball and leave Ntini coming in at 11 to try and get a single. It was funny the 4th time I watched it.

[Kriterion_BD]

This is going to be an extremely tight game. Will be decided by less than 25 runs or 3 or fewer wickets. Thats my prediction.

ZIM are 4-2 all time at home vs IRE, but IRE have the tournament edge and form on their side. When all is said and done, its 50-50 even stevens.

A fat guy's fart in the stands could push either team across the finish line!

[foreignfield]

I feel more nervous about this than anything, and I have a bad feeling ... as much as I was feeling good almost throughout Scotland's innings the other day ... so maybe we're in for another tie

One thing I think I know is that we are not going to defend 200 against Ireland. Their batting is solid, our's better be solid as well for a change.

[Andybligzz]

I know I'm early, but lets get talking about it nice and early and begin the build up.

A fun fact for all of us lucky in the UK to have Sky Sports: this will be the first game since the 2003 Cricket World Cup that Sky Sports has televised coverage of the Zimbabwe Cricket team at Harare Sports Club.

I've booked a day off work to hopefully watch the Greek hit some lusty blows, and watch for certain what kind of pace Blessing can crank it up to.

C'mon lads!

If it’s on sky surely it’s on fox sports here in Aus , if that’s the case I’m having a day off as well !!!

[zimfan1]

I am usually very optimistic about most of Zims matches but I have a very bad feeling in regards to the match against Ireland. They are well and truly our bogey team. I feel that their batting may be too strong for us and we will be a very depressed forum over the next couple of months

[sloandog]

I am usually very optimistic about most of Zims matches but I have a very bad feeling in regards to the match against Ireland. They are well and truly our bogey team. I feel that their batting may be too strong for us and we will be a very depressed forum over the next couple of months

I'm going to counter that, and be slightly less realistic, but equally optimistic.

Our batting may be inconsistent, yes, but our bowling has been absolutely brilliant these past few games. With the added inclusion of Sean Williams' off spin we've got an extra 10 overs up our sleeve. Chatara has been brilliant, as has Cremer and Chisoro. If we win the toss and bowl, I think we have a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of the early conditions and restrict them, if not bowl them out. Don't forget they haven't faced our 7ft bean pole yet.

Hopefully, with some momentum behind us, the greek could catch the Irish by surprise and get us off to a good start. The wicket only ever flattens out at HSC so with some luck will only get better and better for batting.

The toss is crucial. Ireland have a very decent bowling attack. Murtagh, Rankin and Mcarthy are all very good bowlers, and Stirling, Balbirne and Kevin O'Brian provide ample support. I've never rated George Dockrell; i think he's very over rated and his form over the past 18 months has illustrated that.

Or.....we could get bummed hard, with all our hopes of reaching England going down the drain within the space of 50 overs.

[ZIMDOGGY]

If I log into cricinfo after an hour and see a score like Ireland 3/53 after an hour I will be cheering as I think we will win from there.
It’s their top 5 batsman that do the damage. Last time I checked their bowling is no better than ours, no pace st least. If we quell their batsman we should be able to do it, if we don’t then we don’t deserve it.
Nerves of steel.

I find when I play cricket if I focus on batting as a game and challenge and take out the nerves I’m unaffected. Hope they can do the same.

[zimbos_05]

The Mangongo Miracle of 14' was with Supersport I think. It certainly wasn't with Sky, that much I do know.

They showed it here in Aus on Fox Sports, but I think Fox has a deal where they get to show all Aus games played outside Australia.

The last time I got super excited to watch Zim live on TV was the SA test, and we all know how that ended, so I am really trying to temper my hopes and excitement. I'm especially getting nervous with the toss. Everyone saying bowling first is crucial, if we are batting then we definitely know how our guys struggle when the ball does any kind of something.

[eugene]

Ireland's bowling may be one of the weaker attacks we have faced so far. Certainly Afghanistan is stronger, and Scotland may be also.