Steve and Mark Waugh are certainly not identical, neither in looks nor disposition.

The late Malcolm Brodie was Sports Editor of the Belfast Telegraph and Ireland's Saturday Night. He may have been associated with soccer but his sporting passion is cricket. And one player in particular …

Prior to the Ireland versus Australia match of 2001, Norman Wilson looked back at previous Ormeau encounters involving the two countries.

When unravelling the matter on how the 'Ashes' actually came into being what is somewhat forgotten is the Irish connection in their creation.

Thomas Patrick Horan and Thomas Joseph Dart Kelly were the only Irishmen to play cricket for Australia and in one test they played in the same side.

The Australians were in Ireland for the first time since 1912, playing a one-day match in Belfast followed by a two-day match in Dublin.

After a twenty three year gap the Australians returned to Ireland in 1961, captained by Richie Benaud, and played matches in both Belfast and Dublin.

The 1968 Australian tourists played two one-day matches, at Clontarf and the Ormeau ground in Belfast.

Jack Short and Dermott Monteith starred as Ireland put up a splendidly competitive performance in the two-day encounter at Rathmines.

Allan Border illuminated a damp and dismal day at Downpatrick with an innings of 91 before rain won the day.

An Allan Border century was the highlight of an Australian exhibition at Clontarf.

When this match was played Australia had just retained the Ashes by three matches to nil. Unfortunately rain allowed only 23.4 overs to be bowled.

Ireland's first competitive meeting with Australia was in Barbados at the 2007 World Cup. It ended in a nine wicket defeat.

For 11 overs of their innings in the ODI in Clontarf, Ireland dared to dream of victory over the world champions.

While the Irish contribution to Australian cricket is widely acknowledged down under (McCabe, O'Reilly, Fingleton, O'Donnell, McGrath etc), the traffic in the other direction is just as treasured in Ireland.

Some of Irish cricket's greatest moments have been sparked by men who came from Down Under. Ger Siggins traces the long history of cricketing links between the sides.

While only two Irishmen have played cricket for Australia, twice as many had reversed the roles as Australians who had represented Ireland up to the end of the 20th Century.