The Irish connection

The links between Ireland and South Africa go back a long way. During the match on Sunday, Alan, a young man from Cape Town, who now lives in Cork (Southern Ireland), had spent fours on a train getting to Dublin then another three on a coach getting to Belfast to come and watch South Africa.

He wasn’t amused to see the rain fall for five hours. “If I don’t see anything, I’ll be a bit miffed,” he said. In the end the weather relented in time for a 31-over match, but Alan had to leave to catch his return journey back to Cork where he works as a newspaper sub.

On the field there were two more South Africans with strong Irish connections. The opening partnership of AB de Villiers and Morne van Wyk will have felt right at home in the cold, blustery Stormont weather. de Villiers filled his boots while playing for Carrickfergus in the Irish leagues – once striking back-to-back double centuries (233 and 208) over a weekend – while van Wyk churned out the runs for Instonians.

"I shall never forget my experience with Carrickfergus,” de Villiers said before arriving in Belfast. “It was really the first time I had left home and although it was for a short period it gave me an independence and self confidence that helped me a lot in my cricket career."

Vernon Philander, who took 4 for 12 on his ODI debut on Sunday, was due to keep the Irish-South African connection going by playing in their Friends Provident campaign before a stress fracture of the back ruled him out. It is a situation where both sides can benefit because it’s a vital boost for Irish cricket to attract young, upcoming players as it will improve the standard of cricket, while the players themselves learn valuable lessons.