AFGHANISTAN’S HAMID HASSAN PLAYS FOR MCC

Hamid Hassan became the first Afghan cricketer to turn out for the MCC at Lord’s, last month. The 20-year-old’s selection against a Europe XI in a 50-over match is another step forward for a country that hopes to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.”I am hugely proud and very excited. It is absolutely a dream come true,” said Hassan. Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns and ex-England batsman John Stephenson were amongst those playing alongside Hassan. He bowled his 10 overs for 23 runs in the match.

Former England captain Mike Gatting, who played against Hassan last year in Mumbai, says Hassan has “huge potential.”

India’s first Test XI

Two hundred and fifty-eight players have represented India in Test cricket, since it first Test against England [Images] on June 25, 1932. Here’s a look at the famous first eleven, in batting order:

.Janardhan Gyanoba Navle (born: 7/12/02; died: 7/9/79)

India’s first wicket-keeper, he faced the first delivery in the 1932 Test and scored the first run for India in Test cricket. Sadly, he struggled after his playing career was over and in the 1950s was reduced to begging for survival.

Tests: 2; Innings: 4; Not Outs: 0; Runs: 42; Highest Score: 13; Average: 10.50; Catches: 1.

Naoomal Jeeomal Makhija (b: 17/4/04; d: 28/7/80)

Born in Karachi, he stayed back after Partition and in the 1950s was a national selector and coach in Pakistan, before moving to India in 1971. He scored 33 and 25 in the 1932 Test.

T: 3; I: 5; NO: 1; R: 108; HS: 43; Av: 27.

Also read: India’s greatest Test victories

Syed Wazir Ali (b: 15/9/03; d: 17/6/50)

Elder brother of Nazir Ali and father of Khalid Wazir (who played for Pakistan), he toured England in 1932 and 1936.

T: 7; I: 14; NO: 0; R: 237; HS: 42; Av: 16.92

Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu (b: 31/10/1895; d: 14/11/67)

The first superstar of Indian cricket, he was the first Indian cricketer to make money by endorsing products, such was his fame. Though he was captain by default in the 1932 Test, he also led India in its first home series a year later. Despite a badly injured hand, he top scored with 40 in India’s first innings in 1932. Tall and powerfully built, he played first-class cricket till the age of 68! His knock of 153 not out for Hindus against MCC in 1926�inclusive of 11 fours and 13 sixes�played a major role in India gaining Test status six years later.

T: 7; I: 14: NO: 0; R: 350; HS: 81; Av: 25; 50s: 2.

Bowling: Balls: 858; Runs: 386; Wicket: 9; Best Bowling (Innings): 3/40; Best Bowling (Match): 3/40; Average: 42.88

Sorabji Hormasji Munchersha Colah (b: 22/9/02; d: 11/9/50)

The middle-order batsman scored over 1,000 runs on the 1932 tour of England. He was discarded after only two Tests.

T: 2; I: 4; NO: 0; R: 69; HS: 31; Av: 17.25

Syed Nazir Ali (b: 8/6/08; d: 18/2/75)

Another batsman who topped 1,000 runs on the first tour, but failed in the Test match and was dropped after just one more Test. He was also a medium pace bowler with all four of his Test wickets coming in the second innings of the 1934 Madras Test against England.

T: 2: I: 4; NO: 0; R: 30; HS: 13; Av: 7.50

Bowling: B: 138; R: 83; W: 4; BBI: 4/83; BBM: 4/83; Av: 20.75.

Phiroze Edulji Palia (b: 5/9/10; 9/9/81)

He played the inaugural Test and another in 1936 (both at Lord’s) without much success, a leg injury hampering him in the first Test.

T: 2; I: 4; NO: 1; R: 29; HS: 16; Av: 9.66

Lall Singh (b: 16/12/09; d: 19/12/85)

The only Test cricketer to be born in Kuala Lumpur, he was the best fielder in the 1932 team. His lightning pick up and throw that ran out Frank Woolley in the first innings was one of the highlights of the Test. The first of India’s ‘One- Test Wonders’. He was a coach and groundsman in Kuala Lumpur where he died in 1985.

T: 1; I: 2; NO: 0; R: 44; HS: 29; Av: 22.00

Mohammad Jahangir Khan (b: 1/2/10; d: 23/7/88)

The youngest member of the 1932 team and the oldest and last survivor. A medium pace bowler, he took four wickets in the second innings of the inaugural Test. He son Majid Khan and grandson, Bazid Khan played for Pakistan as did his nephews, Javed Burki and Imran Khan.

Bowling: Tests: 4; Balls: 606; R: 255; Wickets: 4; BBI: 4/60; BBM: 4/86; Av: 63.75

Ladhabhai Nakum Amar Singh (b: 4/12/10; d: 21/5/40)

“He came off the pitch like the crack of doom,” was how England’s master batsman Wally Hammond described the bowling of Amar Singh who formed a formidable opening partnership with Nissar. His finest performance came in the first innings of the 1934 Madras Test against England when he returned the brilliant figures of 7 for 86. Also a hard-hitting lower order batsman, he scored India’s first Test fifty in the second innings of the 1932 Test. He died tragically young of pneumonia when he had still had plenty of cricket left in him.

T: 7; I: 14; NO: 1; R: 292; HS: 51; Av: 22.46; 50s: 1.

Bowling: B: 2,182; R: 858; W: 28; BBI: 7/86; BBM: 8/141; Av: 30.64; 5WI: 2.

Mohammad Nissar (b: 1/8/10; d: 11/3/63)

Arguably still the fastest Indian bowler of all time. Took five wickets in the first innings of the 1932 Test, including two in his second over. Massively built, he claimed a remarkable haul of 32 wickets in four unofficial ‘tests’ against Jack Ryder’s Australian team that visited India in 1935. He died in Lahore [Images] at the age of 52.

Bowling: T: 6; B: 1,211; R: 707; W: 25; BBI: 5/90; BBM: 6/135; Av: 28.28; 5WI: 3.

India’s greatest Test victories

India have played 405 Tests since June 25, 1932, winning 90. On India’s 75th anniversary in Test cricket, we look back on ten of its best matches.

- v England [Images], 5th Test at Madras: 6,8,9,10 Feb 1952 (Captain: Vijay Hazare). Series result: 1-1.

A sentimental pick being India’s maiden victory in Test cricket after 20 years of trying. The English side however was a second-rate team with the best players staying home. Left-arm spinner Vinoo Mankad with batsmen Pankaj Roy and Polly Umirgar were the heroes for India.

Brief scores: England 266 (Robertson 77, Mankad 8 – 55) and 183 (Robertson 56, Mankad 4-53) lost to India 457 for 9 wickets declared (Roy 111, Umrigar 130 n.o.) by an innings and 8 runs.

- v West Indies [Images], 2nd Test Port-of- Spain: 6,7,9,10 March 1971 (Captain: Ajit Wadekar). Series: 1-0.

In his maiden series as captain Wadekar led India to their first ever-win against the mighty West Indies. Debutant opener Sunil Gavaskar [Images] scored half-centuries in both innings and went on to have a memorable series.

Brief scores: West Indies 214 (Davis 71 n.o., Prasanna 4-54) and 261 (Fredericks 80, Venkataraghavan 5-95) lost to India 352 (Sardesai 112, Noreiga 9-95) and 125 for 3 (Gavaskar 65 n.o.) by 7 wickets.

- v England, 3rd Test at the Oval: 19,20,21,23,24 August 1971 (Captain: Ajit Wadekar). Series: 1-0.

After 39 years, India recorded their first win on English soil to cap a famous year for Indian cricket. Leg spinner Chandrasekhar destroyed England’s batting in the second innings to set up the victory and seal the series against the unofficial ‘world champions’ of Test cricket.

Brief scores: England 355 (Knott 90) and 101 (Chandrasekhar 6-38) lost to India 284 (Engineer 59, Illingworth 5-70) and 174 for 6 (Wadekar 45) by 4 wickets.

- v West Indies, 3rd Test at Port of Spain: 7,8,10, 11,12 April 1976 (Captain: Bishan Singh Bedi). Series: 1-2.

Clive Lloyd’s [Images] declaration in the second innings resulted in a shock defeat as India chased down a then-world record winning total. It led to the West Indies shunning spin bowling and going in for an all-pace attack for the next 20 years. India lost the series after being controversially beaten in the fourth and final Test.

Brief scores: West Indies 359 (Richard 177, Chandrasekhar 6-120) and 271 for 6 wickets declared (Kallicharan 103 n.o.) lost to India 228 (Madan Lal 42, Holding 6-65) and 406 for 4 (Gavaskar 102, Viswawath 112) by 6 wickets.

- v Australia, 3rd Test at Melbourne: 7-11 Feb. 1981 (Captain: Sunil Gavaskar). Series: 1-1.

After barely hanging on for a draw in the second Test at Adelaide, an injured Kapil Dev [Images] bowled India to victory on the final day to help them draw a series for the first time in Australia. The Test was almost conceded by skipper Gavaskar after his dismissal in the second innings.

Brief scores: India 237 (Viswanath 114) and 324 (Chauhan 85) beat Australia 419 (Border 124) and 83 (Kapil Dev 5-28) by 59 runs.

- v Australia, 2nd Test at Kolkata: 11-15 March 2001 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly [Images]). Series: 2-1.

For only the third time in Test cricket history, a team came back to win after being forced to follow on. Laxman’s epic innings was the highest Test score by an Indian at the time and he and Dravid batted out the whole of the fourth day. Harbhajan Singh [Images] made it even more memorable by becoming the first Indian bowler to capture a Test hat-cricket.

Brief scores: Australia 445 (SR Waugh 110, Harbhajan Singh 7-123) and 212 (Hayden 67, Harbhajan 6-73) lost to India 171 (Laxman 59) and (following-on) 657 for 7 wickets declared (Laxman 281, Dravid 180) by 171 runs.

- v England, 3rd Test at Leeds: 22-26 August 2002 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly). Series: 1-1.

A bold decision to bat first after winning the toss paid off as India piled up a huge first innings total and then recorded an innings victory for the first time in England. It remains the only occasion in which the three batting stalwarts of the Indian team — Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly — all scored centuries in the same innings.

Brief scores: India 628 for 8 wickets declared (Dravid 148, Tendulkar 193, Ganguly 128) beat England 273 (Stewart 78 n.o.) and 309 (Hussain 110) by an innings and 46 runs.

- v Australia, 2nd Test at Adelaide: 12-16 December 2003 (Captain: Sourav Ganguly). Series: 1-1.

Dravid’s batting was the highlight for India as they came back after conceding a mammoth first innings total to Australia. Laxman too once again proved to be the scourge of the Aussies. India lost the next Test at Melbourne and had the better of a draw in the fourth and final Test at Sydney to narrowly miss winning a series for the first time Down Under.

Brief scores: Australia 556 (Ponting 242, Kumble 5-154) and 196 (Agarkar 6-41) lost to India 523 (Dravid 223, Laxman 148) and 233 for 6 (Dravid 72 n.o.) by 4 wickets.

- v Pakistan, 1st Test at Multan: 28-31 March, 1 April 2004 (Captain: Rahul Dravid [Images]). Series: 2-1.

It was the first time India had won a Test on Pakistan soil after nearly 50 years. Dravid was the stand-in captain as Ganguly was injured. Sehwag became the first Indian batsman to score a Test triple-century. After losing the second Test, India came back to win the third and seal their first series win in Pakistan.

Brief scores: India 675 for 5 wickets declared (Sehwag 309, Tendulkar 194 n.o.) beat Pakistan 407 (Yasir Hameed [Images] 91) and 216 (Youhana 112, Kumble 6-72) by an innings and 52 runs.

- v South Africa, 1st Test at Johannesburg: 15-18 December 2006 (Captain: Rahul Dravid). Series: 1-2.

With Ganguly making a successful comeback and opening bowler Sreesanth [Images] picking up eight wickets, India recorded their first victory in South Africa. It meant they had now won a Test match in each of the Test-playing nations. But a series win continued to elude them.

Brief scores: India 249 (Ganguly 51 n.o.) and 236 (Laxman 73) beat South Africa 84 (Sreesanth 5-40) and 278 (Prince 97) by 123 runs.

KALLIS LOOKS FOR NEW DIMENSION

Jacques Kallis believes South Africa will soon be able to challenge the worldwide consensus their bowling attack is one-dimensional.

South Africa, today set to take on an India team severely depleted by illness in the first of three Future Cup one-day internationals in Belfast, have a highly-respected seam-bowling unit.

They have not, however, unearthed a consistent world-class spinner since they were readmitted to international cricket in the early 1990s.

Kallis remains in the enviable position of being able to call on the frontline seam threats posed by Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel – while the captain himself, among several other notables, purveys his own right-arm pace.

Yet in an era which has seen Australia’s Shane Warne and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan capable of winning matches – and even series – almost on their own, South Africa’s cupboard has often been bare.

“Obviously Muralitharans and Shane Warnes don’t come round every day,” said Kallis.

“We need to find someone so we know what we are going to get from them and who can win the odd game for their country.”

The current crop of hopefuls include off-spinners Johan Botha and Thandi Tshabalala – and Kallis promised: “I think we do have a few guys in the pipeline who can produce the goods.

“One thing we are trying to move forward with is to try to find a bit of variety in our attack.

“We’ve got Dale Steyn with a bit of pace. Johan Botha was in the Afro-Asia side, and we have Thandi here to see what he has to offer.”

Kallis is hoping some of the above – as well as the likes of young batsman JP Duminy – can make a name for themselves in Ireland this week.

“From our point of view, it is a perfect opportunity to blood a few youngsters and see what we have in the pipelines for the future,” said the captain.

“It is important to promote cricket in Ireland too. The way they performed in the World Cup, they deserve a tournament like this.”

Kallis’ opposite number Rahul Dravid has more pressing concerns – in that around half of his squad of 15 were still suffering last night with the effects of “viral infections”.

He too, though, is determined to look beyond the immediate – at the chance for the younger members of his squad to make significant progress here and against England later this summer.

“It’s a good opportunity for some of these young guys to test themselves against really good opposition, in conditions they are not really used to,” he said.

“It’s very alien to the conditions we are used to in terms of weather and wickets. “This whole tour of Ireland and England will be a great learning experience for any of the youngsters – whether bowlers or batsmen.”

Yuvraj must fulfil his potential and inspire India’s next generation to reach theirs

Three one-dayers against South Africa at Belfast, a one-off against Pakistan at Glasgow, seven against England at the end of the summer, seven against Australia, seven against Pakistan (both at home) and a tri-series, in Australia, involving the hosts and World Cup finalists, Sri Lanka. India’s one-day roster is a most challenging one and unless their batsmen step up to the plate, which they couldn’t do for most of last season, there would be plenty of heartbreak.

India’s batting line-up currently sports distinct shades. There’s Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid at one end of the spectrum, batsmen already assured of greatness and trying to finish their careers on a high; there are others, like Dinesh Karthik and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who’ve shown tremendous potential and trying to kick on; there are youngsters, like Robin Uthappa and Rohit Sharma, finding their way; and there’s Gautam Gambhir trying to prove that he can cut the mustard at the international level after all.

And then there’s Yuvraj Singh. He can’t be termed a youngster anymore, seven years of experience takes away that luxury, neither can he be termed ‘great’, not as yet, not by a long way. He’s not struggling for a place but he’s not carrying the batting either. He’s shown what he’s capable of, finishing off matches with ferocity, but he’s often infuriated by not doing it consistently enough.

Yuvraj on a roll usually translates to India on a roll. In the 34 games where he’s made at least 50, India have won 26. Between November 9, 2005 and May 26, 2006, when India reeled off a record number of wins, Yuvraj was king. He averaged 70.5 in 22 innings during that period, rattling three centuries and seven fifties. Seventeen of those innings were from No.4 and 5 and he was one of the few batsmen who wasn’t shuffled up and down the order in the period of “experimentation”. The flip side, though, was that 17 of those innings were in the sub-continent and one continued to wait for that definitive season when he would dazzle abroad as well.

And then there’s Yuvraj Singh. He can’t be termed a youngster anymore, seven years of experience takes away that luxury, neither can he be termed ‘great’, not as yet, not by a long way. He’s not struggling for a place but he’s not carrying the batting either. He’s shown what he’s capable of, finishing off matches with ferocity, but he’s often infuriated by not doing it consistently enough

He cracked two consecutive fifties in India’s tour to the Caribbean last year, reeling off 93 and 52, but there was little of note on the long tour. It was the start of a start-stop phase that proved, in the words of Sukhwinder Bawa, Yuvraj’s long-time coach, “one of the most frustrating periods”. Injury dogged him in the Caribbean, a poor series followed at Kuala Lumpur, before a knee injury sustained during a session of kho-kho, on the eve of Australia clash, put him out of action for three months. “He watched a lot of India’s cricket on television and itched to get back. He didn’t want to miss the World Cup at any cost. It’s that desire which made him recover quickly. It was a serious injury but he’s come through well.”

He’s been in the news for his off-field remarks too. He veered to an extreme on the Greg Chappell issue, even being warned by the board for making comments to the media. Chappell himself hadn’t endeared himself to him by telling a journalist : “The problem with Yuvraj is that he believes he is a star when he is only a rising one”.

Soon he was upstaged by Dhoni, a relative newbie, for the vice-captain’s slot. “The vice-captaincy choice is strange,” says Bawa, “but that won’t deter Yuvraj. I’ve always said he has the potential to be India’s future captain and I still think that’s very likely. I once said he would captain India in the 2011 World Cup and maintain that even now.”

Yuvraj is yet to seal his Test spot – some feel he isn’t Test material, others think he just hasn’t got too many chances at that level – but it’s the one-day arena where he must fly. India have struggled with a finisher, someone who can up the rate or steer a chase and it’s him, along with Dhoni, who need to stay in there and finish the job. If he needs a sounding board, there’s always Robin Singh, the current fielding coach, who could nudge or biff, as the situation demanded, and wonderfully maximised his limited ability.

Extended success in Ireland, England, Australia and home will confirm that Yuvraj is indeed the flag-bearer for the next generation, a batch that needs to blossom fast if India wish to be ready for the impending departure of a golden generation.

Kallis wants South Africa to win with spin

South Africa stand-in captain Jacques Kallis hopes his side’s one-day international series against India at Stormont this week can help them unearth a world-class spinner.

Since their re-admission to the world game in 1991-92, the Proteas have struggled to find a consistent match-winning spin bowler, although the likes of Pat Symcox and Paul Adams had their moments.

At the recent World Cup in the Caribbean, South Africa often fielded an all-seam attack, with opening batsman and captain Graeme Smith, currently recovering from a knee injury, providing a spin option following the international retirement of left-armer Nicky Bojé.

That led to criticism that their bowling was too predictable, although it was their batting that let them down in a seven-wicket defeat by eventual champions Australia in their semi-final in St Lucia in April.

“The most important thing is to find out what we’ve got going forward,” Kallis yesterday said at Stormont, where the three-match series starts today.

“We’ve brought a lot of young guys on tour and there are a lot of spots that are available. It’s a chance for the youngsters to put up their hand and put in some big performances to try to get a permanent spot in the side.”

Off spinner Thandi Tshabalala, who has starred for the Free State Eagles in domestic cricket, took 1/22 in three overs on his one-day international debut on Sunday as the South Africans beat hosts Ireland by 42 runs.

Fellow off spinner Johan Botha has also been given a chance at international level, although concerns about the legitimacy of his action led to him being banned for throwing following his Test debut against Australia at Sydney in January 2006. However, he has since resumed his career.

“We are trying to find a bit of variety in our attack. Johan Botha went with the Afro-Asia side (to India earlier this month) to see what he’s got, and we’ve got Thandi here to see what he’s got,” Kallis said.

“Obviously, Muttiah Muralitharans and Shane Warnes don’t come round every day. We need to find someone where we know what we are going to get, someone who wins the odd game for the country.”

He added: “I do think we have a few guys in the pipeline who can produce the goods.”

One novice who has already seized his chance on this tour is the Cape Cobras’ Vernon Philander.

On Sunday the pace-bowling all-rounder marked his 22nd birthday by taking 4/12, the second-best return by a South African on his one-day international debut and the seventh-best overall.

Kallis, who believes Philander can fill the gap that will be left by the eventual retirement of Shaun Pollock, said: “To see a guy perform like that in his first game was admirable. Hopefully, one day when Polly has finished, he can take over from him, even though they are huge boots to fill.”

Finn fits the bill for Flat’s title bid

MAILORS FLAT is hoping new captain-coach Leigh Finn will be the vital cog in the club claiming the Grassmere Cricket Association premiership next season.

The Flat won the one-day competition last summer, but was knocked out in the regular season semi-finals after finishing the home-and-away games second on the ladder.

Club president John Robinson said finding a quality all-rounder was crucial and Finn fitted the bill.

“We needed another bowler and top-order batsman and Leigh should be perfect,” he said.

“Darren Loft is our recruiting officer and he’s chased Leigh for the past couple of years. He’s the first bloke we looked at as captain-coach and hope the appointment is another step towards winning a flag.”

Finn, 34,  a middle-order batsman and left-arm off spin bowler, said he was looking forward to the new challenge after playing more than 190 games for Russells Creek.

He played the second half of last season in division one and his past couple of summers have been highlighted by a half-century and a couple of 40s.

Finn also spent three seasons at West Warrnambool before playing  the past decade with Creek.

“I made 40 against Portland’s Aaron Edrich who’s gone on to play Premier Cricket and he was dead-set quick. That was a bit of fun,” Finn said.

“I wasn’t really looking to move but Mailors Flat came up with a fantastic presentation. I was very impressed. It’s what I was looking for. We’re not losing any players so hopefully the club can go close to winning a premiership next season,”
he said.

An impossible balancing act

Andrew White is one of Ireland’s World Cup stars who is still turning out for the national side. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to compete now that real life has taken over again following the Caribbean adventure. During Ireland’s one-day international against South Africa, White spoke to Cricinfo about trying to be a professional in an amateur set-up.

Jig of delight: Andrew White celebrates Ireland’s tie against Zimbabwe at the World Cup © Getty Images

Andrew White became an instant Irish hero when he bowled the final over of their World Cup match against Zimbabwe, forcing a tie after nine were needed. Half the deliveries were full tosses, two were long hops, but the one that mattered – the final ball – was a full, spearing yorker that went under Stuart Matsikenyeri’s bat. Ireland had their first World Cup point and the rest, as they say, is history.

“If it’s not mentioned every day, it’s mentioned every other day. I think the legacy will always be there after what we achieved,” White said proudly while talking to Cricinfo during the delayed start to Ireland’s match against South Africa at Stormont. “But we are very conscious it can’t be a flash in the pan, which is why it’s great to have India and South Africa here, we need to play more games at this level otherwise we will slip backwards.”

The warning signs have already starting flashing since Ireland returned from the Caribbean. Their Friends Provident campaign ended without a win as they struggled to compete without many of the World Cup stars. White would like to see all touring teams warm up with games in Ireland and an annual fixture against England, who they played and ran close in the World Cup – “Bar those last ten overs of Paul Collingwood at his very best it could have been a very different story”. But he understands the fixture congestion in international cricket makes it difficult.

Ireland’s captain Trent Johnston has spoken regularly about the difficulties the side faces and White admits keeping the momentum going has been tough. “People go back to their full-time day jobs, it’s been mentioned quite a bit by most of the players, but that’s the reality of it,” he said. “It leaves very little time to put into the cricket. We are meeting up the day before and it’s very difficult to step up and turn it on. We are going to have to come up with ways and means around it, but that’s for the hierarchy to try and sort out.”

We are going to have to come up with ways and means around it, but that’s for the hierarchy to try and sort out

The hierarchy in question is the Irish Cricket Union, headed by the chief executive, Warren Deutrom, and they have already begun looking into how to turn the game professional. However, it’s not as simple as getting everyone to sign a piece of paper. Somehow the money has to be found and a regular supply of decent cricket scheduled to keep the players in form. The decision by Eoin Morgan to remain with Middlesex is completely understandable because he has a career to think about, while Jeremy Bray’s recent newspaper comments highlight the problems.

Another idea suggested is a semi-professional set-up, which would give the ICU some control over the players. White, though, isn’t convinced. “It could work for the younger members of the squad, but for the likes of Kyle [McCallan], myself who starts a full-time teaching job in September, and others who are in full-time jobs I can’t see semi-professional working.

“The argument is that senior players like Kevin O’Brien should be going into full-time contracts because they are the ones at a stage in their life and career where they’ve finished their studies and aren’t working. So why not invest money in players who are going to be the spine of the team for the next 10 years.”

White will get a proper taste of the problems faced when he takes up a full-time teaching post, at the same school as team-mate McCallan, in September. “The principle of the school both Kyle and I are involved in has been extremely good in allowing us the time,” he said. “But there’s only a limit to that and how much time we can have. Kyle had to take a sabbatical for six months and if you kept asking for that they wouldn’t be too chuffed.”

‘It’s an impossible task trying to balance your day job and the cricket ‘ © Getty Images

So what does a typical week have in store for White as tries to maintain his two careers? “You are practising with your club two nights a week then you have a club game on Saturday if there’s no game for Ireland and besides that you are trying to get into the gym when possible. People like Kyle are leaving the house at half seven and he’s not home until six, then he’s got family time to consider as well. It’s an impossible task trying to balance your day job and the cricket at this level.”

But while the current system remains, the players will continue to try and, somehow, find a work-life balance. White says every player is “extremely proud” to play for Ireland and the decisions taken by Morgan and Boyd Rankin have not come easily. Club cricket is thriving around the country with participation reaching record levels, so the desire to play is clearly still climbing after the World Cup success.

“Club cricket has been played in Ireland for so long and hopefully it will continue to be so because the success of the national team encourages the club system, and the players, to keep going and play week after week. They are reporting that numbers have doubled, tripled and quadrupled.

“That’s why I fail to understand when people like Michael Holding and Mike Atherton said we shouldn’t have been at the World Cup, because we weren’t good enough. I think it was a very narrow-minded insight into what it meant to the game back home. Our performances at the World Cup were truly inspirational from that point of view and the numbers coming into the game have been fantastic.” However, what sort of future is waiting for those who make it to the top level is still uncertain.

Sinclair offered NZ cricket lifeline

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has thrown Australian-born Mathew Sinclair another lifeline to international cricket, offering him a contract to replace Hamish Marshall.

A short statement on Tuesday said Central Districts batsman Sinclair had until Friday to accept the offer, which would see him contracted with NZC through to May 31 next year.

A space became available on NZC’s 20-man list of contracted players last week when Hamish Marshall elected to join his English county Gloucestershire as a local player, ruling him out of New Zealand contention.

Three weeks ago Sinclair’s response to missing out on a contract offer was disappointment and the intention to seek a playing berth in England, Australia or South Africa.

Philander paces S Africa one-day win over Ireland

Vernon Philander celebrated his 22nd birthday and one-day international debut with four wickets for 12 runs as South Africa beat Ireland by 42 runs in a one-day international at Stormont on Sunday. Ireland, set 174 to win in a match reduced by rain to 31 overs per side, were going well at 45 without loss before losing three wickets for two runs in nine balls.

Philander’s figures were the second best by a South African in one-day international debut. Fast bowling great Allan Donald took five for 29 against India at Calcutta in 1991.

And afterwards South Africa captain Jacques Kallis said Cape Cobras ace Philander was being groomed to succeed veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock.

“He’s done well back home in domestic cricket and that’s the reason he got a call-up here,” Kallis said.

“He’s a good all-rounder, someone we are going to try to mould along the line of Shaun Pollock,” Kallis said. “They are big boots to fill, but he started well today [Sunday].”

Earlier, Ireland debutant Alex Cusack took three for 15 in four overs as South Africa were held to 173 for four and then finished on 36 not out.

The 26-year-old all-rounder, originally from Brisbane but whose father holds an Irish passport, kept the Proteas in check.

They had been on course for a score in excess of 200 in their first match since losing April’s World Cup semi-final against eventual champions Australia.

“We knew he could make the step up,” Ireland captain Trent Johnston said. “He came out there in tough conditions, against quality batsmen with short boundaries and he hit the top of off-stump. That’s all I want.”

“He got the rewards with three wickets and then went out and showed us how well he could bat,” Johnston said. “He’s going to be in these Irish colors for a long time and he deserves that.”

Morne van Wyk’s maiden one-day international half-century was the centerpiece of South Africa’s total. The opener was appearing in only his second match at this level, four years after making his debut against England at Lord’s.

South Africa, after being sent in by Johnston, saw van Wyk (52) and AB de Villiers (40) put on 75 for the first wicket, while Kallis made 46.

Openers William Porterfield and Kenny Carroll kept Ireland up with the run-rate.

But Carroll started the slump, unluckily slipping onto his stumps to be out hit wicket off the bowling of Dale Steyn for 21.

“The guys were positive and we had a bit of luck” Johnston said. “But unfortunately it turned against us with Kenny slipping over and then we lost three quick wickets.”

Thinus Fourie, surprisingly promoted up the order, fell next when edging Steyn to first slip Justin Kemp.

Lively seamer Philander struck when Porterfield was caught behind and he then clean bowled wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien — who made 52 in Ireland’s nine-wicket defeat against India here on Saturday — for four.

Ireland had now collapsed to 56 for four and the game was getting beyond their grasp on a cold and dank day.

South Africa’s other debutant, off-spinner Thandi Tshabalala, got in on the act with Kevin O’Brien holing out to van Wyk at deep mid-wicket.

Philander ended the match by bowling last man Roger Whelan for nought with a ball to spare.

Earlier, medium-pacer Cusack removed van Wyk, had Herschelle Gibbs caught behind for just two and dismissed Kallis for 46.

South Africa had six survivors from the side that beat Ireland by seven wickets in a World Cup Super Eights match in Georgetown, Guyana, in April.

For this match they were captained by Kallis with Graeme Smith recovering from knee surgery in South Africa.

Pollock had been rested from the trip to Ireland while batsman Ashwell Prince had been dropped.

Andrew Hall, Andre Nel and Charl Langeveldt, all in Ireland, were left out.