Dara Ó Briain tries his hand at cricket commentary ahead of England v Ireland ODIs
Thursday 30 March 2017 12:31, UK
Comedian Dara Ó Briain has added cricket commentator to his portfolio of professional accolades to launch the upcoming Royal London ODI Series between England and Ireland.
The first documented game between England and Ireland dates back to 1855, in which Ireland won by 107 runs. But May will mark a historic date in the cricket calendar as England and Ireland play their first ever ODI match on English soil.
In a two-match Royal London ODI Series, England and Ireland will lock horns at The Brightside Ground, Bristol, on the May 5 with the teams meeting two days later at Lord's on May 7 in what is set to be a historic series of all-action cricket and all-round entertainment.
Ó Briain took to the commentary booth at Lord's Cricket Ground to provide a comedian's interpretation on match footage from the last completed match between England and Ireland in 2013.
Playing on the misconception that the Irish may not be as familiar with some of the cricketing subtleties, Ó Briain takes full advantage of his free rein on the microphone to give his tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the action, including a variety of big hits, fielding blunders and umpiring signals.
The archive match footage sees unbeaten centuries from Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara take England to a six-wicket win over Ireland in Dublin. For Ó Briain however, the match should have had a more poetic conclusion from an Irish perspective.
"Did you bring me here to show me Ireland losing?" he asked.
"I had a whole 'Theresa May, your boys took a hell of a beating' speech planned, you can't do that about Ireland. I am not sure 'Graham Norton, Bono, Jedward, that fat bloke from Robot Wars your boys took a hell of beating' works as well."