Since 1926 twenty one players from Waringstown Cricket Club have been selected to play for Ireland.
Ivan Anderson, originally from Armagh, joined Waringstown in 1969, having returned to Armagh for just one season after leaving Queen’s University. He was capped 86 times, was captain on 5 occasions and still holds the record for the highest individual score for an Irish player – 198 not out versus Canada in 1973. Ivan scored 3777 runs for Ireland at an average of 32.56. He made 7 centuries and 13 fifties and is the only Irish cricketer to score two centuries in the same 1st class match, versus Scotland in 1976. Ivan retired from international cricket in 1985.
Garfield bowling for Ireland v Surrey, at Eglinton Garfield Harrison, youngest of the six brothers, came up through the junior teams in the Club and first played for Ireland in 1983. He was capped 118 times before his international retirement in 1997. He scored 2765 runs, his top score being 105 not out. Garfield also made 13 fifties and his overall average was 26.04. He was involved in the highest ever 4th wicket partnership with Alan Lewis, which was an unbroken 224 against Scotland in 1994.
Garfield had the third best bowling performance in the 20th century for Ireland, having taken 9 for 113 against Scotland in 1990. On three occasions he took 5+ wickets in an innings and in total claimed 140 victims. He is the 8th highest Irish wicket taker of the 20th century.
Michael Reith is one of the best known of all Waringstown players. Son of the well-loved umpire and former player, Pete Reith, he was capped 44 times for Ireland between 1969 and 1980. He scored 1838 runs at an average of 23.26, his highest score being 129 against Holland in 1980. He also scored 11 fifties. Jim Harrison, second of the Harrison brothers, played 32 times for Ireland between 1969 and 1977. He scored 1347 runs at an average of 25.41; his highest score being 111 not out. Jim was involved in the highest ever 5th wicket partnership for Ireland, with Alec O’Riordan; this being 175 runs against Denmark in 1973.
Roy Harrison, oldest Harrison brother, played just three times for Ireland in the 1968 and 1969 seasons, while younger brother Deryck was capped eleven times between 1978 and 1980. The Nelson brothers, Alan and Noel, also gained international honours. Alan, a superb opening bowler, played 43 times between 1988 and 1994, taking 74 wickets at an average of 27.71. Noel, an all-rounder and excellent fielder, gained 5 caps between 1990 and 1991. Alvin Spence played 4 times for Ireland between 1990 and 1991, while the first Waringstown player to be capped, Willie Irwin, represented Ireland once in 1926. Other players from the past were the Rev. R.J. Barnes, who was capped 14 times between 1928 and 1949, Lloyd Armstrong – 11 caps between 1947 and 1953, Walter Fawcett – 12 caps between 1956 and 1959, and Wesley Ferris – 3 caps in 1956. David Dennison, perhaps one of the most gifted batsmen ever to grace The Lawn, played 24 times for Ireland from 1983 to 1987. He scored 650 runs at an average of 28.26, including a highest score of 103. David was involved in the highest ever 2nd wicket partnership with Alf Masood – 207 against MCC at Lord’s in 1985. Surprisingly, he was also part of the highest ever 9th wicket partnership with Michael Halliday – 96 against MCC at Clontarf in 1986.
Neil Carson, originally from Donacloney and who moved on to Instonians in 1999, gained his first cap in 1998 when Waringstown hosted its first international match – Ireland v Bangladesh. Neil won 10 further caps that season.
Paul McCrum played 74 times for Ireland (1988 – 1998), taking 106 wickets at an average of 32.32, once taking 5+ wickets in an innings. Paul has the highest ever 10th wicket partnership for Ireland, with John Davy; 100 not out versus Scotland in 1997.
Eddie Bushe, wicket-keeper and father of Alistair and Jonathan, played 7 times between 1979 and 1980.
Jonathan Bushe, son of Eddie made his debut in 1998. Gary Kidd gained Senior International Honours in recent years and Kyle McCallan, formerly of Cliftonville, is now Ireland’s most capped Cricketer.
James Hall, Greg Thompson, James McCollam, Cara Murray and Graeme Hume are Waringstown’s most recent International.
