Where there is a Will, there's certainly a way

“IT WOULD be wrong not to acknowledge what they have done to get us to this position”. William Porterfield was speaking at the front of the room. Those words were enough for Trent Johnson, at the back, to lift his head to attention to listen more closely. And rightly so.

- Adam Collins

After all, Johnson, the towering former national captain, he was there with bat in hand for the two seminal moments that elevated Ireland cricket more than any other that got them into this position. At the World Cup in 2007, he clobbered a six to get his side over the line against Pakistan in a low-scoring scrap that put them on the map. Four years later, he was in the middle at the end of the biggest run chase in the tournament’s history when they swamped England.

But tomorrow, he’ll be in the commentary box. These days, Johnson is 44 and well retired after 97 internationals. Timing is everything. It’s a point not lost upon Porterfield when reflecting on the privilege of being the first Irish men to play Test cricket (the women did 18 years ago).