da aviator aposta: Trent Johnston has many happy memories of the Caribbean, having been part of Ireland’s 2007 World Cup team, and he is full of belief they can repeat that success in the ICC World Twenty20
da bet sport: Andrew McGlashan in Guyana29-Apr-2010Trent Johnston has many happy memories of the Caribbean. He was a key part in Ireland’s memorable run at the 2007 World Cup where they reached the Super Eight stage after victory against Pakistan then also beat Bangladesh. Johnston turned 36 on the eve of the World Twenty20, full of belief that Ireland can repeat that success and match their performance in last year’s tournament in England by again reaching the second stage.Ireland begin their campaign this time against West Indies on theopening day, under the floodlights at the National Stadium inProvidence, before facing England on May 4 at the same venue. Thereare plenty of survivors from the 2007 team, including current captainWilliam Porterfield, wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien and tall pace bowlerBoyd Rankin.They are also coming up against a West Indies side that isn’t in primeform, as proved by their collapse against New Zealand when theywent from 68 without loss to 117 all out. Despite some poorperformances in the lead-up Johnston, one of six Ireland players whohave central contracts, knows what the team are capable of when alltheir skills work on the same day.”I suppose the biggest thing is we’ve got to put the three disciplinestogether and if we can do that then I think we can definitely causeone, if not two upsets,” he said. “We expect to go out and win everygame but the big thing we’ve been finding in the lead-up games is thatwe’re bowling well and we’re not starting well with the bat.”So we know that we’ve got to play out of our skins to come away witha victory. We’ll be looking to do that and hopefully we can put it alltogether and beat the West Indies on Friday night.”Ireland remain the leading Associate nation, but are being pushed hardby Afghanistan, who defeated them again on Wednesday with an impressivefive-wicket victory. It was a performance that summed up Ireland’stime in the Caribbean in the past month – they have visited Jamaicaand Trinidad en route to the World Twenty20 – and Johnston admitted ithad been frustrating.”We put in a good performance against Trinidad last Friday where webowled well, we fielded well and knocked the total off with one wicketdown,” he said. “That’s possibly the only game where we’ve put allthree together but having said that there have been huge positives outof the other games, even though we’ve only come out with two winssince we’ve been away. So we’ve got to turn that all around and putall three together and if we do that we’ll go close.”Like all international teams, Ireland have learnt their Twenty20 gamedespite limited exposure to the format, although they have played morematches in recent months – courtesy of the World Twenty20 qualifyingevent in Dubai – than a number of the major nations including Indiaand South Africa.”We’re only developing as a Twenty20 country, we don’t get masses ofopportunities to play it and it’s only been over the last couple ofyears, at the World Cup last year and now this one,” Johnston said.”So it’s a game we’re inexperienced at and trying to find our feet,what’s the best plan for us and how we go about it; do we need acertain amount of runs in a certain amount of overs with how manywickets in hand, all that kind of stuff.”So, again, if we can put those three things together we’ll be okaybut if we don’t there could be some carnage coming our way. Hopefully that won’t happen, we’ll stick together and put in a good performance.”






