A huge milestone is on the horizon for Irish cricket.
On Friday, Ireland will play the first ever Test match as Pakistan come to Malahide.
As the Irish team prepares to make that first official step for a test nation, we were joined by 2007 Cricket World Cup squad member Ed Joyce, who is part of the team that will face Pakistan.
The Leinster Lightning provincial player will also be the oldest test debutant in history at the age of 39.
"I think that game on St Patrick's Day in 2007 was definitely the catalyst for the journey the Irish team's been on for the last 11 years," he said, referencing Ireland's famous 2007 World Cup win over Pakistan.
"Hopefully it's a really good occasion and we can kick on them from there to really grow the game and Pakistan, it feels they would like to get us to go back and play them in the winter and they've been great supporters of Irish cricket. They've come and played us a lot in the last few years and we're very grateful to them for that."
Ed Joyce ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
However, before playing for Ireland after 2011, the Dubliner represented England in 2006-2007. But he explained that if Ireland had test status back then, he would have turned down England.
"I certainly wouldn't have gone to England and tried to play for England if test match status had been there [for Ireland]," he said.
"There would have been no reason to. That was the big driver for me and I know it's the same for Eoin [Morgan] and Boyd Rankin as well who were Irish guys who played for England or are still playing for England."
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