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Ireland’s victory over Kenya this week certainly had the statisticians thumbing through the record books, as milestone after milestone was passed.
The most impressive landmark is the fact that the total of 578 for 4 is the highest in the 153 year history of Irish cricket. It’s the third time the Irish have passed the magical 500 mark over the past two seasons, surpassing the 541-5 declared against the UAE, and 524-8 declared against Bermuda last year. Indeed their top five scores have now come in the recent InterContinental Cup campaigns.
Andre Botha was one of three Irish players who scored centuries in the game, also a record, and in the course of his innings passed the 3000 run mark for his adopted country. He has currently played 97 times for Ireland, and will pass the 100 cap landmark during the triangular series with Zimbabwe and Kenya in the coming week.
Botha now currently lies in 6th place on the all-time run list, behind Stephen Warke, Ivan Anderson, Alan Lewis, Kyle McCallan, and Angus Dunlop. He currently holds the 4th, 7th and 12th highest individual scores for Ireland. Kevin O’Brien’s 171 not out is the 3rd highest unbeaten score for Ireland, behind Eoin Morgan (209* v UAE), and Ivan Anderson (198* v Canada).
His brother Niall, the other centurion in the game, holds both 5th and 6th places in the highest score list, making 176 and 174, both versus the UAE. Another very noteworthy statistic is the fact that of the players who have played more than 50 times for Ireland, Niall has the highest batting average – 37.94. That places him just ahead of Ed Joyce (37.20) and Eoin Morgan (36.64).
The leading century scorers for Ireland are still Ivan Anderson and Jeremy Bray with 7, but Andre Botha (6) and Niall O’ Brien (5), will have both firmly in their sights in the coming weeks.
Botha’s 28 fours during the Icup win over The Netherlands earlier this year was the most in an innings, beating the 27 scored by Jeremy Bray during the ICup final win over Canada in 2007. Back to the Kenyan game, and Kevin O’Brien’s 12 sixes was the most in an innings, beating the record held by Peter Davy of 8 against The MCC in 1999. The 5th wicket unbroken partnership of 214 between Kevin O’Brien and Andrew White is a new record for that wicket, beating the 175 by Jim Harrison and Alec O’Riordan versus Denmark in 1973.
Other stats of interest attached to the current team, is that former skipper Trent Johnston has the highest strike rate (runs/ball) of any player who has played more than 50 times, and Kyle McCallan has most caps (202), having taken 225 wickets. That wicket tally places him fourth on the all-time list behind Dermot Monteith (326), Jimmy Boucher (307), and Simon Corlett (233). Showing off his all round ability, he has also achieved the most run outs for Ireland – 13.
Opening bowler Peter Connell is only the 22nd player to have taken 10 wickets in a match for Ireland, while Niall O’Brien’s 90 dismissals puts him in third place behind Ossie Colhoun and Paul Jackson. Also in the field, skipper William Porterfield has taken the most catches in a season by an outfielder – currently 18. The captain of course became the first player to score 1000 runs in a season for Ireland in 2007. Finally, of those currently connected to the Ireland team, manager Roy Torrens has the longest playing career – 19 seasons spanning from 1966-1984.
Who would bet on yet more record breaking achievements over the coming months?
Full statistics are available here
