Ireland's tie with Zimbabwe involved three Australians - Trent Johnston, Jeremy Bray and Dave Langford-Smith. But what ties them to Irish cricket? Three Irish girls - Vanessa, Geraldine and Maebh - it seems.

Johnston met Vanessa when he was playing club cricket in Leinster but they then moved back to Sydney. However, the couple returned to Ireland where Johnston found he could get an Irish passport through marriage. "Ireland is home now. I love the lifestyle - the weather's different but the people are just as laid back," Johnston told the Sunday Tribune.

Bray played for New South Wales but went to Ireland when girlfriend, Geraldine, returned to care for her seriously ill father. Langford-Smith arrived in Ireland for Bray's wedding and met Maebh. "We went home for our honeymoon in December 2005 and after a few weeks I started to feel homesick - for Ireland," said Langford-Smith.