NEW DELHI: History has a habit of always remembering the ‘firsts’ in any nation. Australian Charles Bannerman will always be remembered as Test cricket’s first centurion, while Lala Amarnath was the first man to achieve this feat for India. Just like Aminul Islam for Bangladesh or Dave Houghton for Zimbabwe achieved the landmark for the last two Test nations.
When Ireland became the 11th Test nation to make their debut on, coincidentally, the 11th of May, they found the most unlikely of centurions in Kevin O’Brien, a man who raised hopes of one of the most remarkable victories on debut. The 34-year-old from Dublin has become the ‘Maestro of Malahide’ overnight with his remarkable 118 against Pakistan.
Heading into the final day, with the burly allrounder Kevin still in the middle, Ireland would have hoped of becoming the first team since Australia in 1877 to win their first-ever Test. “We stated early on that we were there to win it. We have great respect for the Pakistan team, they are truly world-class, but we had the confidence to believe that we could not only compete but had a chance to win it. I think I read somewhere that it was the best result by a nation on their Test debut since Australia in 1877. If that is true, we’ll take that,” Kevin told TOI from Dublin.
The ginger-haired younger sibling of Niall O’Brien is not an unknown entity in India and will always be remembered for his 50-ball century in an upset win over England in Bangalore in the 2011 World Cup.
Asked if this century trumps the World Cup knock, the answer was an emphatic no. “I’d still rate Bangalore a better innings, but this one is certainly up there,” he said.
With the image of that brutal innings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in mind, it was hard to imagine Kevin grinding out runs in both innings — 40 & 118. “While many probably associate me with quicker scoring, I have the odd slow innings in me! The circumstances in both innings required a knock of patience and control. The bowling was high quality and required intense concentration. The second innings was one of getting my head down and helping the team to build a lead. It was a real team effort, with the likes of Stuart Thompson and Tyrone Kane playing their part in helping us set a target that gave us an outside chance on the final day,” the 34-year-old said.
Ireland’s next assignment will be ODIs against Virat Kohli’s Indian team next month and Kevin and Co have no plans to slow down. Asked how they are planning to build on the gains of Malahide Test, he said, “By not resting on our laurels. We now have a taste of Test cricket and we now want more. We need to be nurturing and bringing through fresh faces — giving them a chance to compete against the best, while still having the chance to play alongside some of the more experienced players in the squad. Just seeing how well Stuart Thompson played with both bat and ball, he exemplifies the talent we have coming through. I think under Graham Ford’s (coach) leadership we’ll build a really competitive Test team over coming years.”
The Irishman has one regret though. He wasn’t able to finish the job as he relaxed too soon after reaching the three-figure mark. “The closer it (the century) came, the more it possibly played on mind. I was very proud and relieved to get to three figures, but mindful of the state of the game. It was probably walking off the field at the end of Day Four that I truly had an opportunity to take it all in,” he said about the feeling of completing the country’s first ton.
Cricket is not a sport on top of Ireland’s agenda, with football and rugby always finding priority. However, Kevin’s century and Ireland’s valiant display have suddenly shifted focus to cricket’s newest entrants. “The reaction has been unbelievable really. We knew the support would be there and the Test has received great coverage. For a country new to Test cricket, it was a treat for many. Despite the final result, I think all of Ireland enjoyed the ebb and flow of the match,” he said.