Cricket fans bring colour and noise to historic occasion at Stormont

Stormont has hosted many historic encounters – but few have brought the colour and noise of cricket supporters on day one of a Test match.

There was a sense of occasion at the estate as Ireland’s and Zimbabwe’s players met in a milestone match on Thursday – the first Test fixture in Northern Ireland.

Several hundred attended the first day’s play at Stormont, including Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

While most of the crowd were clear which team they were there to support, one well-known local politician faced a quandary. Alliance Party MLA and former lord mayor of Belfast Kate Nicholl was born in Zimbabwe.

She told the PA news agency: “I grew up supporting the Flower brothers and Henry Olonga and all these great Zimbabwean cricket players.

“I think 12-year-old Kate would be horrified to find out that I would be on the fence about who to support today.

“It is wonderful to have this historic match, Zimbabwe v Ireland, in Belfast.

“I am just looking forward to a couple of days of really good cricket. I think it is going to be a great Test match, hopefully the start of more to come. The Stormont grounds are fantastic and everyone is so excited to be here.

“Hopefully it is the beginning of many more to come.”

Irish supporters comfortably outnumbered those backing the tourists, but the Zimbabwean contingent made up for it with their enthusiastic singing.

Lovers Pamire was part of a group of Zimbabwean fans who had travelled to Belfast for the first time from Dublin.

He said: “If Zimbabwe is beaten we don’t have a heartache because we are here in Ireland, we are home anyway.

“Whoever wins it is still fine, we are just here for fun.”

Making a shorter trip was Belfast woman Judith Wylie who was bringing her son Douglas to his first Test match.

She said Douglas would like to play cricket for Ireland one day – if he does not make it first as a rugby player.

Another Irish cricket fan was Conor O’Brien, who had travelled up the road from Dublin.

He said: “It’s the first Test match in Northern Ireland, it is great to be here.

“I was at the two that we played in England at Lord’s, I was at the first one in Malahide and then at the last one in Abu Dhabi, that was our first Test win.

“It would be great to get another Test win this week, I think we’re favourites.

“I’ve been up to Belfast before but never for cricket.

“First game in Belfast, first game at Stormont, it looks a lovely ground.”

The Stormont match is only the second played on the island of Ireland, and closely follows Ireland’s first Test win against Afghanistan in a one-off match in Abu Dhabi earlier this year.

As well as Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly, DUP leader Gavin Robinson, SDLP MP Claire Hanna and Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie were among the crowd.

In a social media post, Ms O’Neill said: “Today marks a historic moment as we host our first ever test cricket match in the north!

“Delighted to be at the game today to support Ireland against Zimbabwe.

“Let’s keep working together to seize new and exciting opportunities to host sporting events that showcase the best of our people and island.”

While the spectators at Stormont were lucky enough to see plenty of cricket on Thursday, the sense of history around the occasion had no impact on the unpredictable Belfast weather.

Shortly after 2pm the players were forced to return to the pavilion for a short time as rain stopped play.