KEVIN O’BRIEN LOVED every minute of his Caribbean adventure — and he can’t wait to get back for more.
Ireland’s vice-captain is set for another stint in the Caribbean Premier League this summer after he was re-signed by Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.
Before that, the Railway Union all-rounder returns to Surrey for another short stint in the Natwest T20 Blast which begins on Friday night.
“It was a great experience for me last year to play in the first CPL with Trinidad and Tobago,” O’Brien said in an exclusive interview with The Slog Sweep, a new weekly Irish cricket podcast.
It was a great tournament with nearly 30,000 at every game and the Calypso atmosphere, music, and a few drinks here and there. It’s the way cricket should be played.
O’Brien rubbed shoulders with some of cricket’s most famous names in the Caribbean — and even went partying in the spectacular seafront home of West Indies legend Chris Gayle.
“We finished up the group stages against Jamaica Tallawahs in Sabina Park. Obviously Chris and [Trinidad captain] Dwayne Bravo get on very well, they’re friends and team-mates with the West Indies.
Chris put on a little house party for both teams and some of his closer friends. There was probably about 150, 200 people there – 15 chefs, a pool, dancefloor, pool table, everything.
“It was just a fantastic experience to be in his house. It’s a pretty good house overlooking the Jamaican Islands. It was fantastic.
“To be fair, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he joked. “I’d much rather be down in Railway rolling the wicket on a Friday night!”
Click here to listen to the inaugural episode of The Slog Sweep, hosted by Mark Robinson and Andrew Leonard.
Other features include the first visit to ‘Club Corner’, where Terry Bruton from Ireland’s newest cricket club Ashbourne CC, popped into the studio for an amazing chat about how to found a cricket club.
Also discussed is a weekly round-up from the major leagues across the country, the ‘Performance of the Week’, the O’Neills Team of the Week, the #AlmostCricketLegend and much, much more.
As a Wex supporter have to say Gemma O’Connor was one of the best camogie players of all times her first touch read of the game and her striking was top class, and tough as nails.
Female ringy legend go girl
In the 2016 final, Gemma received two yellow cards and unfortunately for her, had to leave the field early. At the end of the game, she came back out onto the pitch and I just watched her go from player to player congratulating the Kilkenny team. I thought it was the most sporting gesture I ever saw on any sports field. She hit the winning score two years later!! A class player in every way.
What a lady, seriously impressive list of achievements, along with her team mates during those years. My daughters watched and followed her and those Cork teams as if they were Cork. Rebels Abu.