George Dockrell: The buzz is building, but Ireland face a tough challenge

We have arrived in Australia for the World Cup having planned and worked to get here over the past three years. Even though we were expected to qualify, we still had to perform in the qualifying matches against the other International Cricket Council (ICC) Associate Member countries.

We were delighted to have got automatic qualification, having won the World Cricket League in 2013. So there was huge excitement in the squad as we left for the World Cup on the flight from London.

We have a nice blend of youth and experience in the team. A number of players are experiencing their first World Cup but we also have five players returning for their third, which is more than any other country. This will be my second, having played in 2011.

We’ve made a few trips over the past six months in preparation for the tournament. We were in Australia and New Zealand in October and Dubai in November and January. I think going to Australia and New Zealand was invaluable for getting used to some of the grounds where we’ll be playing.

Following that, two trips to Dubai meant we got some practice in top-class facilities, with match practice too.

Balbirnie bonus

A big bonus that came out of the winter was the emergence of

Andy Balbirnie

. He scored consistent runs down under and followed that up with one of the best knocks I’ve seen, against a full New Zealand bowling attack. With that knock, he cemented his spot in the squad and I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes. He has plenty of talent with a good (and very large!) head on his shoulders.

As it is a World Cup, we had the luxury of travelling business class to Australia. The fine cuisine and extra leg room made what is usually a tough trip a lot easier.

We were met at the airport by the gang from Randwick Petersham Cricket Club, who are kindly hosting us for the first week in Coogee (though they were less than hospitable when they beat us in a 50-over warm-up match on Friday). There’s a great buzz in Sydney and we found that out straight away, with the immigration officers showing their love of cricket. They were a lot friendlier than the last time I arrived in Sydney, with the Ireland under-19s in 2010. After asking which team we were, the officer told us: “You blokes have got no chance.”

The first couple of days here were all about acclimatisation. Training immediately after such a long trip increases the risk of injury, so the focus is on recovery from the travelling and getting used to the change in time zones and climate. Physio Kieran O'Reilly and strength and conditioning coach Brendan Connor are in charge of this, and their main goal is preventing injury through strength sessions and recovery time.

Sleep patterns

Jet lag can be a big problem coming to Australia, with upset sleep patterns, so the first two mornings we were up early to go for a walk. This got us into the right time zone as quickly as possible.

We also had a late-night walk on the first day and an evening spin class on the second to stop us getting into a pattern of falling asleep at 9pm and then waking up again at 4am, which would not have been enjoyable.

With the schedule less busy to begin with, we were able to relax on Coogee beach, across the road from the hotel. The likes of my roommate, Max Sorenson, could barely be dragged away from the beach, and you can't blame him as it is a beautiful spot.

We also managed a tour of Sydney Cricket Ground, a remarkable place with fantastic facilities. Hopefully, we will be back there in a month to play a quarter-final.

Our first day of full training was hampered by some rain showers, but nothing we are not used to in the cricket season at home. News that it was minus eight degrees back in Dublin made things a little bit better too, as we trained in sunshine, reminding ourselves how lucky we are. It was a long day, but it was great to be back outside and bowling overs on grass wickets.

We now look forward to the build-up to our final warm-up matches. We know that in two weeks’ time we will be embarking on the most demanding programme an Ireland cricket team has faced, with six matches in six different locations, including three matches in eight days in Australia and New Zealand. It will be a tough challenge, but it’s one that I am relishing.