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An Irish dream

An Irish dream William Kyle McCallan, a 32-year-old right-arm off-spinner, is on his first visit to Dhaka and like the entire Irish contingent, loves every moment of it despite what is being said about the heat. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Star Sport's Mohammad Isam, McCallan reveals that he has enjoyed the new experience of playing in front of big crowds. A firm family man, he is the senior statesman of the team and takes immense pride in playing for Ireland and plans to take his team to the next World Cup in 2011. Following is an excerpt from the lively encounter with the Irishman at the poolside of the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on Friday evening:
Daily Star Sport (DSS): Have you enjoyed the tour so far?
Kyle McCallan (KM): I have really enjoyed Bangladesh. It has been a fabulous experience. The people here cannot do enough for us. I'm overwhelmed by their hospitality.
The crowds have been magnificent. But the only thing has been the poverty, which has shocked me a lot. Sometimes we take the good things in life for granted. When we travel from the stadium to the ground. I see a lot of poverty and that saddens me.
We were in that Concern programme on Thursday night and it made me realise that for me, a game of cricket is important but for them it is their next meal that makes them anxious.
DSS: You were born in Carrickfergus, where is this small town?
KM: Carrickfergus is 15-20km on the north of Belfast, Northern Ireland. 1 was bom and live in Northemireland.
DSS: Tell us about cricket in that part of the world.
KM: Cricket is very much a minority sport. Big games are soccer, rugby and Gaelic games. Cricket would be one of the smaller sports but since the success of the World Cup last year, we are hoping that cricket would be played a lot more.
There are 4 cricket unions — Northern, Northwest, Lanster and Munster. Each union has a league structure. There are hundreds of cricket clubs and a lot of cricket is actually played there.
DSS: What interested you in playing cricket?
KM: Cricket was in my family. My grandfather and uncle played and my father, not much of a player, took me to cricket and bought me cricket gears. I played cricket in my school and I met John Solanki, a professional at our local club, who came to our school. He introduced me to club cricket.
DSS: Why off-spin bowling then? KM: Our pitches are very slow. They
don't suit fast bowling but to be honest with you, the main reason I became a spin bowler is a guy called Raman Lamba, who died here (in 1998).
Back in 1986-87, Raman was a professional at Cliftonville Cricket Club and when he saw me. he told me to change from medium-pace to off-spin to further my cricket career. Raman Lamba was a phenomenal batsman and was a very good professional at my club. DSS: You made a great start for Ireland in 1996...
KM: Although I got a wicket off my first ball for Ireland against West Indies, 1 made my debut for as an opening batsman. As time wore on, I gradually concentrated on my bowling and as a result, came down the order and although I bat at number nine now, I still see myself contributing with the bat.
DSS: You once scored a half-century against Bangladesh...
KM: That was in the Commonwealth Games 1998 where I played for Northern Ireland.
DSS: But Northern Ireland doesn't have a cricket team, does it?
KM: Like rugby, cricket is played as an all-lreland sport though Northern Ireland played in the commonwealth games.
DSS: You have played most number of matches. How do you handle playing cricket so regularly as I believe, you are a teacher.
KM: The third ODI will be my 177th cap for Ireland. I am supposed to be teaching at a school called Grosvenor Grammar School at the moment. My headmaster has very kindly given me a holiday. I have been teaching for seven years.
As an Irish team, we train maybe once a week. We are always playing catch-up. Before the World Cup, several of us took sabbatical from work. We trained for seven rflbnths and it made a huge difference.
DSS: You had trials with Derbyshire and Surrey, but never played for them...
KM: I trialed with Derbyshire and Surrey and basically, England looks upon Ireland as inferior. I thought 1 did quite well with Derbyshire. So
now I am fully motivated since 1 play international cricket and 1 can prove these guys wrong. Things happen for a reason in life. I cannot complain for what has happened. DSS: Nowon to the World Cup. Did you think you could tie a game against Zimbabwe and even beat a team like Pakistan?
KM: We did remarkably well against Zimbabwe to come back and tie that game. It shouldn't sound arrogant but we knew we could win as we thought, why turn up and just be competitive. We genuinely believed we could win. It was a great day for world cricket since Bangladesh beat India on the same day.
Wicket was green and it was similar to our home wickets. Pakistan were under pressure and they looked apprehensive after seeing the wicket. We bowled good, wicket taking balls and we bowled them out for 130-odd. We prided ourselves in fielding. During the break, our captain (Trent Johnston) asked us 'Do you want to go back to your day job as a teacher, farmer, post man or beat Pakistan and stay here for another four weeks?' DSS: You faced England and beat Bangladesh in the Super Eights. Both must have been big games for you.
KM: It was a game that we believed we could have won and they took the game away from us in the last half-hour. Irish cricket is always fighting against English cricket. It was nice for us to play against the Old Enemy. We thoroughly deserved to win that game against Bangladesh as we played our best cricket against them.
DSS: Your favourite memory in both team and personal fronts.
KM: The Pakistan game and personally, it was nice getting Kevin Pietersen out, caught at midwicket by William Porterfield.
There are so many memories that I can share with my grandkids Mentally it was hard on us as it was a long tournament.
DSS: How was the reaction at home?
KM: Massive. Cricket grabbed the headline for the first time. It gripped the nation. We were invited on to the Late Late show. And if you arc on that show, you have made it. The country fell for us. We represented Ireland with huge degree of honour.
DSS: But after that Pakistan match, Bob Woolmer died. What happened that night?
KM: We were not in the same hotel that night. We beat Pakistan and we were at a different hotel celebrating with our fans. The death put everything into perspective that this was just a game and not a matter of life and death. It was a huge shock. He was the first to shake our hands after the defeat.
DSS: After the World Cup, there were problems with your cricket board.Tellusabitaboutthat.
KM: Two full-time employees — CEO and our national coach, basically run cricket in Ireland. It is difficult for one man to do the work done by a few hundred people. It just goes to show what difficulties theyface.
Irish cricket weren't able to pay players full time but now they pay match fees so it is working hard to make sure things are on the right direction.
To be honest, we take inspiration from Bangladesh's development. We take Bangladesh
cricket as a model to become a bigger cricketing nation.
DSS: Apart from being a school teacher and cricketer, do you have any other hobbles?
KM: I play the guitar. I like Eric Clapton and Mark Weller. 1 play golf and I try to entertain my wife and in the English Premier League, I follow West Ham.
DSS: Who's your inspiration?
My wife and my parents inspire me hugely. Nelson Mandela is someone I look up to and from the cricketing point of view, I always admired Steve Waugh, with whom I have played in 2000. His mentality was superb as there were no excuses with him.
I played with Saqlain Mushtaq last year and as an off-spinner, I certainly admire him and working with him was interesting.
DSS: What has been the defining moment of your 12-year long career?
KM: Intercontinental Cup in Namibia was a defining moment in Irish cricket and personally I achieved as I took four wickets. World Cup was a defining moment and the game against Pakistan.
DSS: So what of the future?
KM: My primary goal will be to take Ireland to the next World Cup in 2011. But I don't think I'll be backlo play the tournament. I would like to give the youngsters the same experience I have had.
DSS: Would you come back to Bangladesh?
KM: To be honest with you, I was a little hesitant but since arriving here, I think I like Bangladesh simply because it is my first time here and 1 would have no hesitation in coming back.