AUS v IRE, ODI Preview: Gritty Australia to limber up against gritty Irish

With barely a few days to go for their opening encounter against South Africa, Australia will play their first warm-up match against Ireland at Benoni. Although the match is officially sanctioned by the ICC, the Aussies will treat the match as a warm-up to the upcoming series against South Africa.

While Ireland has been granted their wish of playing more cricket, it seems clear that they are once again having to prove their mettle to be a part of the big boys of World Cricket. However, as many mentions, baby steps are certainly the way forward.

That said, a mouthwatering encounter is most certainly on the cards as the dynamic Aussies look to begin their stay in South Africa with the tour soon to follow.

Team Analysis

Australia

The wicket at Benoni has typically been a pitch that has been one that has troubled the batsmen in the past. However, in recent times, the wicket has been one that has brought out the best in a lot of batsmen as well. Thus, the likes of Steve Smith and George Bailey will be licking their lips as a few personal landmarks beckon for them.

That said, it is quite clear that a pace bowler Daniel Worrall is set to make his debut in the match. Scott Boland, one of the lesser experienced bowlers in the side will be taking a smaller leadership role with John Hastings, clearly one of the more successful Aussie bowlers in recent times will take his place as the leader of the Australian pace battery.

As far as the batting goes, only George Bailey has been somewhat consistent in the past few matches. With the nightmares of the tour of Sri Lanka and the skipper Steve Smith marking his return into the grand scheme of things, it seems quite clear that the Aussies will be expected to be at perhaps their dangerous best.

Ireland

There were many talking points from the encounter against South Africa at the same venue when Ireland took to the field against the Proteas at Benoni. One of those talking points was the fact that only five batsmen managed to get their scores over the double-digit mark, something the team management will have to ponder over.

However, the same point can be seen as a positive one as Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien lit up the arena with some well-made knocks to their name. With the likes of JP Duminy picking up 4 wickets on a damp and wet track means that they will have to revisit their spin-playing prowess.

That said, the fact of the matter as far as Ireland is concerned is quite simple. They have to play to the best of their abilities if they want to do any better than their performance against the Proteas. William Porterfield, the skipper of the Ireland side will be hoping that he can erase his golden duck against the Proteas with some impressive batting against the Aussies.

Australia(Playing XI): Steve Smith (C), Matthew Wade (WK), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, George Bailey, Mitchell Marsh, Scott Boland, John Hastings, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa

Ireland (Probable XI): William Porterfield (C), Gary Wilson (WK), Paul Stirling, John Anderson, Kevin O’Brien, Sean Terry, Stuart Poynter, George Dockrell, Tim Murtagh, Craig Young, Peter Chase

StAttack:

1. Niall O’Brien requires 36 runs to complete 2000 ODI runs.

2. Kevin O’Brien requires 10 wickets to complete 100 ODI wickets. Should he achieve this feat, he will become the first Irish player to do so.

3. Gary Wilson requires two dismissals to equal the record for most number of dismissals by an Irish keeper. Wilson is on 50 dismissals at the moment with Niall O’Brien with 52 dismissals at the moment.

4. George Bailey requires 110 runs to complete 3000 ODI runs. David Warner requires 154 runs to complete the same.

5. Matthew Wade requires 3 dismissals to complete 100 dismissals in ODI cricket. He is currently fifth on the list after Gilchrist, Healy, Haddin, and Rod Marsh.