An all-night mopping-up operation by groundstaff allowed play to start just 45 minutes late, and gave the Aussie pacemen a chance to stretch their legs.

Richard Bullick reports on how the rain had the last laugh at Stormont as Ireland’s intriguing tussle with Australia was snuffed out by the weather.

Ireland’s biennial opportunity to play Australia in home conditions was blighted by the weather, with only 10.4 overs possible at Stormont.

The last time the mighty Australians visited this island, George Dockrell was pitting his wits against a very different challenge from the one he could have been engaged in at Clontarf.

David Warner is wary of the Irish challenge but Gary Wilson is confident Ireland can upset the odds.

Paul Stirling has the world at his feet – and on Saturday he gets another chance to take on the world’s No 1 one-day team.

Next Saturday, for the third time in nine days, an Ireland team will take on the world’s No 1 in its sport. The cricketers are typically optimistic that they can slay their giant.

There was a time in the 1960s when Australia played Ireland in Belfast and fielded two wicket-keepers - and both of them took a turn at bowling.

Ireland's John Mooney discusses the One Day International against Australia with George Hook and Dave McIntyre.

Dr Malcolm Brodie MBE is former Sports Editor of the Belfast Telegraph and Ireland's Saturday Night . He may be associated with soccer but his sporting passion is cricket. And one player in particular …

While only two Irishmen have played cricket for Australia, twice as many had reversed the roles as Australians who had represented Ireland up to the end of the 20th Century.

Some of Irish cricket’s greatest moments have been sparked by men who came from Down Under. Ger Siggins traces the long history of cricketing links between the sides.

Cecil Walker and Alfie Linehan, both former Irish Cricket Union presidents, visited Sydney in 1991 and met a man who played a leading role in the most controversial episode in the history of Ashes cricket.

Thomas Patrick Horan and Thomas Joseph Dart Kelly were the only Irishmen to play cricket for Australia and in one test they played in the same side.

Ireland has no experience of beating Australia, but one group of cricketing Scots proved capable of defeating the might of Australia.

Charles Lawrence had a profound influence on the development of cricket in both Australia and Ireland. Edward Liddle looks at the man considered by many to be the father of Australian and Irish cricket.

Ireland's former New Zealand-born National Coach Ken Rutherford breaks the habit of a lifetime to extol the virtues of his neighbouring Antipodeans.

The Australians were in Ireland for the first time since 1912, playing a one-day match in Belfast followed by a two-day match in Dublin.

After a twenty three year gap the Australians returned to Ireland in 1961, captained by Richie Benaud, and played matches in both Belfast and Dublin.

The 1968 Australian tourists played two one-day matches, at Clontarf and the Ormeau ground in Belfast.

Jack Short and Dermott Monteith starred as Ireland put up a splendidly competitive performance in the two-day encounter at Rathmines.

Allan Border illuminated a damp and dismal day at Downpatrick with an innings of 91 before rain won the day.

An Allan Border century was the highlight of an Australian exhibition at Clontarf.

Derek Scott's report on the first visit of a Test-playing nation to the North West since 1969 as Australia met Ireland at Eglinton.

When this match was played Australia had just retained the Ashes by three matches to nil. Unfortunately rain allowed only 23.4 overs to be bowled.

Ireland's first competitive meeting with Australia was in Barbados at the 2007 World Cup. It ended in a nine wicket defeat.

For 11 overs of their innings in the ODI in Clontarf, Ireland dared to dream of victory over the world champions.