Though he fully embraces the ‘steely professionalism’ that coach Phil Simmons has instilled in the Ireland team, ‘old boy’ John Mooney lovingly recalls those austere amateur days. Back in 2007 the Irish new ball bowler would drive around a tractor, install electrical fittings for a living and at the World Cup play hard and party harder. Being a full-time cricketer though, he coudn’t do these things.

The central contracts changed their lives but money gained lost them the unstinted sympathy of neutrals who always rooted for the underdogs. UAE is now the Ireland of old. “In 2007 we enjoyed every minute. We had lots of party nights but we were always focused on cricket. It was like I want to win and have a good time. Now it is, I want to win rather than have a good time,” he says. The pressure of expectations has piggy-backed professionalism.

So now when Mooney bowls against Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith, he is expected to dismiss them or at least not give away too many runs. The fact that he plays against amateurs for most part of the year doesn’t get mentioned in the short CV they flash when he is about to start his run up. Despite the disparity, Mooney stood up to the fearsome West Indies opener — who scored a record 215 on Tuesday — choking him for runs.

Tight spell

He bowled a first-over maiden against Smith and kept Gayle quiet at Nelson. It was his tight spell that stopped West Indies from flying off the blocks. “I love that situation and I know bowling to Gayle is a daunting proposition. We had plans, for Smith we decided to bowl wider outside the off stump since he likes to hit through mid-wicket. For Gayle it was to cramp him up and keep it tight by bowling into his pad and into his hips,” he said.

With the ICC too sending cryptic signals when it comes to Ireland’s Test status, their players remain on tenterhooks. The string of upsets at the World Cup hasn’t quite seen the ‘red carpet’ rolled out for them like they’d deserve. That’s why Mooney, who made his international debut just months after MS Dhoni, was picked for the ODI team, has about 200 games less than the Indian captain. “To motivate team mates, I keep saying we might not end up playing at this venue again so we need to give our best,” says Mooney.

Coming to Gabba after their mandatory World Cup upset, this time against the West Indies, Ireland now face one of the most improved associate nations in recent times, the United Arab Emirates.

On the little league circuit, these two teams clash often but it’s always Ireland that finish as winners. It’s that one game, where Ireland will be an out and out favourite, a tag they are not used to wearing. Actually, UAE is what Ireland was in 2007, a bunch of part-time cricketers, high on adrenaline, trying to get the better of the big boys.

There’s no one better than Mooney who knows what a determined bunch with nothing to lose can do. “We can’t take them lightly, they have really good players. Khurram Khan is the best batsman in associate cricket for the last 15 years. They play each other and that can be difficult for the rivals. They can be very much like we were in 2007,” explains Mooney.

How times change. Now it’s UAE who wants to win and have a good time too.