page_title: Sport in Northern Ireland
section_title: Cricket
hierarchical_section_title: Sport in Northern Ireland / Cricket
caption_attribution_description: Ireland compete against Essex at Castle Avenue, Dublin, 13 May 2007, Friends Provident Trophy ECB BBC (Rory Deegan)
context_page_description: Sport in Northern Ireland plays an important role in the lives of many Northern Irish people. Most sports are organised on an all-Ireland basis, for example rugby union, gaelic games, basketball, rugby league, hockey and cricket, whereas others, like association football and netball are organised on a separate basis for Northern Ireland.
context_section_description: Cricket in Northern Ireland was a minority sport till recently, but the game has really got popular among the citizens because of the recent success stories of Irish Cricket Team, which represents both countries of Ireland. Cricket is now getting more and more popular thanks to Ireland's successful Cricket World Cup campaign in 2007 and 2011. It has been played here since the early 19th century, against Scotland (a match which has first-class status) has been played annually since 1909. The Irish team was fairly strong in the mid and late 19th century, and sent several touring parties abroad, but development of the sport was adversely affected first by the Gaelic Athletic Association's ban on its members taking part in "foreign" sports and then by the creation of the Irish Free State; many of the best cricketers in Ireland had been British soldiers and civil servants and their withdrawal led to a decline in the overall standard of the game.
  There have been brighter spots in recent years, however. Dublin-born batsman Ed Joyce has played with some success as part of Ireland's ICC Trophy team and is now a key member of the Middlesex side in England's County Championship; he captained the county in 2004. Interest in Irish cricket was also generated by the national team's startling victory over West Indies in 1969; they did it again on 17 June 2004. The sport is organised on an all-island basis and is overseen by the Cricket Ireland, founded in its present incarnation in 1923. Ireland has entered some domestic English tournaments since the early 1980s, but becoming an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council in 1993 paved the way for participation in international competition, and indeed the 2005 ICC Trophy was hosted by Ireland. The Irish finished second in the tournament, beaten by Scotland. Ireland has co-hosted the Cricket World Cup in 1999. Dublin also hosted one game of the 1999 World Cup. The 2007 World Cup which was held in the West Indies was a very successful tournament for the Irish Cricket team. Having qualified for the first time for the tournament, Ireland entered the arena with much to gain. Ireland tied the match with Test Cricket playing team Zimbabwe and shocked Pakistan by defeating them on St. Patrick's Day. Suddenly there was much talk about Cricket in Ireland. Ireland qualified for the super 8 and recorded some good results, including a win against Bangladesh. Ireland have been granted ODI status and now they appear in the ODI ranking table. In June 2007 Ireland played ODI matches against India and South Africa.
  Ireland went on to win the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier, securing their place in the 2011 Cricket World Cup and ODI status for the next four years. At the World Cup, they made history by stunning heavily favoured England in pool play with the largest successful run chase in World Cup history, led by the fastest century in World Cup history from Kevin O'Brien.
  On the 22nd of June 2017, Ireland was awarded Test status following a five-year fight, becoming the eleventh team to have Test status. Ireland's first Test match was at home to Pakistan in May 2018, losing by 5 wickets after being forced to follow on. After a tour to Afghanistan, Ireland faced England in a four-day Test match at Lord's in July 2019, bowling England out for 85 before losing by 143 runs. Ireland's second innings, in which they were bowled out for 38 in 15.4 overs, was the lowest completed innings in the history of Lord's.
  In November 2019, the Irish cricket team qualified for the 2020 T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia.
caption: Ireland compete against Essex at Castle Avenue
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