Angus Dunlop interviewed about the Emerging Nations Tournament
What does the Harare tournament mean in terms of preparation for Toronto 2001
Tony Munro
27-Mar-2000
What does the Harare tournament mean in terms of preparation for Toronto 2001?
Harare will give a good guideline as to where the Irish team stand with
regards the other teams which will br competing in Toronto. It will also indicate from an individual point of view who is able to last the pace of tournament cricket as opposed to one day here and there.
In what way has the balance of the team changed since Malaysia 1997? Is it any stronger or weaker in any areas?
The team is younger and as a result probably fitter now than in Malaysia in '97. Our strength was in our batting, believe it or not and this might turn out to be an area of concern. We will have to wait and see.
How should cricket administrators balance the need for tournaments of
this kind to improve standards against the players' employment needs?
I think we would have to look at semi-pro with the sympathetic employment arrangements. If there were to be an increase in these tournaments, it would become a game for full-time professionals, the self-employed and the unemployed.
The team met with new coach Ken Rutherford recently. What was the
initial impression? What areas will he emphasise?
Ken Rutherford was impressed with what Mike Hendrick has left. He would appear to call a spade a spade if you know what I mean, which is a good thing. He did not in point of fact say a lot, just observed mainly. I have no doubt he will emphasise fitness levels or lack of them in some cases.
Which players are you expected big things from at Harare?
All of them if we are to do ourselves justice.
Africa is known for its wildlife. Are there any players you would expect
to blend in with the local fauna?
Before I could answer this question, I would need to know accurately your intepretation of the world wildlife.