KEVIN O’Brien predicted yesterday that Ireland could find themselves playing in front of sold-out, Irish-heavy crowds of up to 30,000 at the 2015 World Cup.

It only made Trent Johnston more determined to be there.

Ireland’s most battle-hardened bowler will be nearing 41 when the games get under way in Australia and New Zealand 17 months from now.

He would be cast as a cricketing version of Methuselah if he took the new ball against the best teams in the world on the Antipodean soils where he was born and bred.

But given that logic, logistics and the laws of nature could have had Johnston retired five years ago and he is still there, still delivering for
Ireland, it’s not out of the question. Is it, Trent?

‘It would be great to go back and play where I was born, where my cricket started, and at a World Cup,’ said Johnston as Ireland returned from 12 days in the Netherlands that saw them secure an Intercontinental Cup final place as well as a third shot at the World Cup.

‘But I suppose you have to be realistic. I will be 40-odd at that stage, turning 41, so we’ll play it game by game.

‘There’s a lot of things I want to finish off this year first before I worry about next year, and then the year after.

‘We’ve got big stuff to come in November and December and something that’s personally been on my radar for a few years is bringing back that I-Cup. We’ve got an opportunity to do that in December and I don’t care who we play against, I just want to get out there and make sure that trophy is back in our hands, because it was the first one I won.

‘Retirement can wait for a little bit longer, you know?’

After the loss of Boyd Rankin to English cricket, the one area where Ireland don’t have depths of talent is seam bowling so Johnston will be encouraged to play on as long as possible.

But can his body hold up?

‘There will be a chance, but I don’t really know. I’m just off the plan and the body is a bit sore from the past 12 days so I need to rest and go from there.

‘But I’m very lucky, with RSA and the two Sports Councils coming up with the money to get us contracts back in 2009. I’d finished in 2008 because of work commitments and the body was sore, so to get another five years out of it, I’m very thankful for that.’

One player almost certain to be batting and bowling in Irish colours the year after next is vice-captain O’Brien, the hero of 2011 who began yesterday’s press conference by saying 2015 was too far away to contemplate but was soon licking his lips about it.

‘It’s going to be a great occasion for us and for support staff but also for the fans who travel around the world to watch us play, like the people [30 or 40] who came out to watch us in Holland.

‘I’m sure there will be a few more coming to watch us in Australia and New Zealand. In India in 2011 I think we were the second-best-supported team after the hosts, so with the amount of Irish down there we could have a few games sold out.

‘It’s exciting to think that we could play in front of 25-30,000 at a World Cup.’

After his team qualified with two games against Scotland in hand, Phil Simmons was a satisfied coach yesterday but attention will quickly turn to the matter of making Ireland more competitive than ever in the Antipodes, and persuading the top 10 nations to grant them more than just isolated one-day internationals will be a cornerstone of next year’s preparations.

‘It’s something that we’ve been asking for for a few years now,’ said Simmons, whose side hosted Pakistan for two thrilling ODIs last month, tying one and narrowly losing the other.

‘We have to play more games outside of World Cups so that we know where we are when we get there, and maybe we will get to go to Australia or South Africa, somewhere like that.

‘We’re willing to travel so all we can do is keep asking.’