Clontarf to host Australia ODI next year

The Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin will host the one-day international between Ireland and Australia scheduled for June 17 next year. The venue has hosted high-profile games in the past, notably the West Indies-Bangladesh match during the 1999 World Cup. South Africa and West Indies have also played Ireland at the venue in recent years.

Clontarf president Roger McGreal was delighted at being awarded the game by Cricket Ireland. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our club to showcase Irish cricket, and I'm sure all our members will rise to the occasion," he said. "We have carried out major improvements to the ground over the past year and have increased capacity at the venue. It's sure to be a fantastic game, and I've no doubt that we'll be able to accommodate all those wanting to see Ireland take on Australia."

Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland's chief executive, was hoping for another exciting clash at Clontarf. "Following the huge success of the RSA Challenge one-day international at Stormont between Ireland and England, when we came so close to overcoming the Ashes winners, we are delighted to welcome England's Ashes opponents, Australia, to Dublin next June," he said.

"Not only do we believe that this match will continue to raise the growing profile of Irish Cricket, but we also believe that the Irish players will have confidence in their ability to properly challenge one of the world's great cricket teams."

Ireland's most recent clash with Australia came during the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. On Irish soil, they faced off in the last international game at Ormeau in 2001, while Eglinton were the hosts in 1997.

Australia last played in Dublin in 1993, when centuries from Matthew Hayden and Allan Border helped them to a resounding 272-run win. During that game, Border almost emulated Garry Sobers and Ravi Shastri, hitting the first five balls of an Angus Dunlop over for sixes. He could only manage two from the final delivery, thus sparing Dunlop an unwanted entry into cricketing folklore.