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Unfinished business with Australia: Ireland

Cricket's 10th-ranked ODI team ready to take on world champions in Belfast

Ireland have unfinished business with Australia, skipper William Porterfield has declared.

Australia and Ireland will meet in a one-day international on August 27 at Belfast’s Civil Service Cricket Club, three years after the last 50-over encounter between the sides, at the same ground in 2012.

On that occasion, Australia only managed to bowl 10.4 overs before rain put a stop to proceedings, leaving Ireland 3-36.

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Brett Lee celebrates after dismissing William Porterfield in 2012 // Getty Images

Ireland’s squad for this month’s showdown contains nine of the players who featured in that 2012 clash, and is made up of members of the team who came agonisingly close to a finals berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup earlier this year, only missing out to West Indies on net run rate.

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Porterfield said Ireland were hopeful they could pull off a major upset in Belfast, in what will be Australia’s first one-day international outing since their successful World Cup campaign in March.

“We missed out on a really good chance at beating Australia a couple of years ago in Clontarf, and unfortunately no result was possible last time out at Stormont,” Porterfield told RTE.

Australia defeated the hosts by 39 runs in Clontarf in 2010.

“We know we are a much improved side since then, and we’ve shown it on the world stage over the last few years.

"The younger lads who have come into the squad have really fitted in well and shown they’re more than capable of mixing it with the best."

Ireland stuck true to their giant-killing reputation during the World Cup, recording wins over Test nations West Indies and Zimbabwe, proving their habit of conquering more established teams was no fluke.

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John Mooney after hitting the winning runs against West Indies // Getty Images

In previous World Cups, they defeated England (2011), Bangladesh and Pakistan (both 2007), and their performances in February and March were enough to see them climb to 10th on the ICC’s ODI team rankings, ahead of Zimbabwe.

Led by new coach John Bracewell, who replaced Phil Simmons at the end of the World Cup, and boasting a squad of full-time, professional cricketers - eight of their 13-strong ODI squad have county cricket contracts in England - Ireland will be keen to post their first-ever win over the world’s No.1 ODI team.

"It doesn't get much bigger than a match against the Aussies, and I know the boys are all raring to go," Bracewell said.

“They've named a quality side - and with a new [Australia] captain taking over the reins, it's going to be extremely difficult, particularly with players looking to book their spot in the starting line-up for their series against England.

"But we know we've the quality to challenge the best in the world."

Earlier, Brisbane-born Ireland all-rounder Alex Cusack announced his retirement from international cricket. 

Ireland ODI squad: William Porterfield (capt), Andrew Balbirnie,  George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Andy McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.