CRICKET:THE INCREASING demands on Ireland's cricketers has led Jeremy Bray to call time on his international career after amassing 83 caps since his debut in 2002.
The 36-year-old Australian-born batsman played a key role in Ireland’s success at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, scoring 115 in the opening game against Zimbabwe.
It was one of seven centuries the left-hander scored for his adopted country, an Irish record he holds alongside Ivan Anderson and current captain William Porterfield.
Citing personal frustration with the set-up at the time, Bray stepped away from the international side after scoring 146 in Ireland’s Intercontinental Cup final success over Canada in 2007, but he returned last summer to make a further 11 appearances.
His 2,812 runs, at an average of 31.95, places him ninth on Ireland’s all-time list in terms of both total runs and average.
Explaining his decision, Bray said: “I’m not getting any younger, and it’s hard to get up to the levels of fitness now required for international cricket.
“The team has an incredibly demanding schedule over the next few years, and I couldn’t commit myself fully to that programme.”
Meanwhile, Ireland’s international season will get under way earlier than expected after next week’s Intercontinental Cup clash with Afghanistan in Sri Lanka was brought forward by two days due to presidential elections.
The four-day game in Dambulla will start on January 21st after Sri Lanka requested the move for reasons of security and logistics ahead of the January 26th vote.
Ireland’s Under-19 side let slip the chance of a first win against a Test-playing side at this level after they lost their final World Cup warm-up game against West Indies by just four runs in Christchurch, New Zealand.
In a match reduced to 42 overs per side due to early rain at Hagley Oval, Ireland looked well on course to chase down their target of 188 before losing their last five wickets for just four runs as they were bowled out for 183.
Needing eight runs off 19 balls and with five wickets in hand, the collapse started when Stuart Poynter was run out for 17; Shane Getkate and George Dockrell went lbw without scoring in the next over; and in-form batsman James Shannon from Instonians fell for 83 with a yorker with the first ball of the final over. Craig Young was run out two balls later.
Ireland open their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Queenstown on Friday.
