Whats need 2 prepare new Test nations.

[brockley]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine...y/1064853.html
Ireland and Afghanistan.

[Tigers_eye]

There is no replacement in Multi city based domestic cricket with longer version of the game for both Ireland and Afghanistan. This will create rivalry and competition.

This on top that a school based system where young kids would participate. That is how you give opportunities to young boys who has almost zero income. Can't afford to buy a bat. $10 Million wouldn't be enough. So the ground level structure would have a slow growing process. Cricket is an expensive game comparing to Football.

[aklemalp]

Whatever exposure these guys are getting, they're grasping it with every opportunity.

They've played a fair share of FC matches in the intercontinental cup...

[Cricket4All]

^^ Not only intercontinental cup helped the development of Ireland and Afghanistan unlike their predecessors, they will have luck on their side if "conference style Test cricket league" gets approval in the next ICC meeting as they are going to have regular Test matches against bigger nations unlike BD. They will be able to to plan and prepare for Test matches better which will lead to better outcome of match result for them.

[al Furqaan]

Ireland and Afghanistan got 100x the support that BD got from the ICC. Money, World Cricket League, Intercontinental cup, etc.

Of course BD weren't even the best Associate side in most of the 1990s (Kenya, UAE, Netherlands all qualified for the World Cup ahead of us). But that just means we went from being the 4th Associate as recently as 1994 to being a competitive team by 2015 (2010 if you only look at ODIs).

Will be interesting to compare IRE and AFG progress with our own especially since we've heard people say "give Bangladesh's Test status to IRE/AFG" for most of the last 10 years.

But 12 Test nations is a must, thank God the ICC realized this and is making it happen.

[brockley]

The intercontinental cup finishes next year,thats 2017.
Both sides not likely to play this comp again,they need extra funding and A tours.
Afghanistan has an A team,Ireland doesn't they need to organize A fixtures from now on,especially with so many Ireland players retiring in the next few years.

[Dilscoop]

By giving them test status and letting them play until they eventually figure it out and learn how to play, by playing the game, like 10 others teams did or had to? What's changed? That's the ONLY way it has been.

No one in the Whole Entire UniFreakingVerse plays this bull of an elitist sport called "Test". The only reason we even have these 8 other teams is because started playing, because they were "given permission" to play at one point or another. Ain't no way, China, Brazil, Portugal (stop bring the US into this, get your colonialism outta here, never happenin) or even some of this already part time cricketing countries will take this damn sport seriously or learn this boojee *** sport unless you open the door to them, welcome them to fail. Failures like Tushar Imran, Shuvogoto Hom, Farhad Reza of the world. Along the line, you might get a few Shakib's, Tamim's, Taskin's or even Fizz and Miraz. < Only reason those guys showed up because, believe it or not, the failures of Tushar's and Fordah's of the world inspired them. They were inspired to either stand-up and fight the humiliation of a nation, to show the world they can be better, they are better and they WILL rise. (****, I'm gonna cry now, I can't #%!$@ing believe Donald Trump is the #@!$%ing leader of the free world and I have all these kickass ideas and no one cares! Holy ****, ICC is the Trump of the sports organization. (yes, FIFA is Hillary, obviously, corrupt POS). They build that #%!@$ing wall around us all and stopped progress! Let us break this damn wall so we can get some dark Winters Tushars that bring Fizz in the Spring, Miraz that follows in the Summer! We should fight this war of elitism! Holy ****'s ****, that makes me mother flipping Bernie, delusionalism can be a reality with help!)

Just introduce 6-8 Test teams. Ireland, Afghanistan, Nepal, Scottland, Netherlands, Denmark, China/Germany (random the better) and Argentina (not random, they have a squad full of Argentine players, unlike some of these east Asian, Middle eastern countries). Let them play against the bottom 6 teams. Just let them and sit through "revoke their status" and bs history book records like 400 by a #11 against them for a decade or two. And it'll eventually happen, faster than it's going now.

#LetCricketGrow!
#NotMyICC!

(nice thread btw, rant is DEF not directed at you or your thread.)

[Rifat]

Dilscoop,

Don't let anybody get in your way of achieving whatever it is that you set out to achieve, and this includes Trump. Start your own company or something. be on top of the world(if you feel like it). Do your own thing. Don't let current affairs bother you. sometimes life doesn't make sense(this includes Muslims who don't really practice or associate with the faith get marginalized or ostracized because of their birth name or people getting bullied for skin color or ethnicity). At the end of the day, the only regret you should have is that you didn't give it your best when you had the time, energy commitment.

[brockley]

I think its conservative giving Ireland and Afghanistan test status,they both are ahead of schedule,what more can they do.
In the future I can see Scotland has a chance for test cricket.They have a good squad now,and would probably win the intercontinental cup,once ireland and Afhanistan sign up.
Would be a good opportunity for Bangladesh A to play them.They would be competitive games.

[Donal C]

CRICKET IRELAND TO BUILD PERFORMANCE CENTRE

CRICKET IRELAND have unveiled ambitious plans for the first dedicated outdoor training complex in Ireland, giving top performers of both sexes and all ages the best facilities to help develop their skills on the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus (SINSC).

The Cricket Ireland Performance Centre will be built at the Sport Ireland site at Blanchardstown in Dublin, and feature 14 grass nets, five artificial pull-out bays, a 90m outfield, plus seating and storage areas.

The €600,000 development has been made possible thanks to support from the International Cricket Council, Denis O'Brien, the Irish Government and Sport Ireland.

“The development of Cricket Ireland’s first-ever dedicated outdoor training centre is a huge step forward for Irish cricket," said Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom.

"For the first time, our performance squads – male and female, senior and junior, national, provincial and academy – will be able to train on a day-to-day basis in a state-of-the-art facility controlled by Cricket Ireland.

"We are grateful to the Government and Sport Ireland for providing us with the land, and to the ICC which is clearly increasing its support for Ireland’s aspirations – by granting first-class status to our Hanley Energy Inter-provincial competition; through our elevation to the 12-team ODI structure; and by granting an additional $500k in 2016 and 2017 to help us afford the matches.

“I would also like to extend our particular gratitude to Denis O’Brien, who continues to play a vital, yet unheralded role, in the growth of Irish cricket.

"For the last 10 years Denis has always been ready to answer our call – from supporting our team in the Caribbean World Cup in 2007 and then our first cohort of contracted players, to helping us stage our major matches and, now, helping us build our first outdoor performance centre.

"He has played a central role in helping us punch above our weight on the world stage and, for this, we are enormously grateful.”

Sport Ireland Chief Executive, John Treacy welcomed the new development saying: “Sport Ireland is delighted to add cricket to the growing list of sports with a presence on the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus.

"Through its performances both on and off the field in the last number of years, Cricket Ireland has shown that cricket has become a sport of national significance.

"Earlier this year Cricket Ireland launched an ambitious strategic plan which aims to make cricket mainstream, and the development of these world class training facilities at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus will assist this objective as the sport continues to grow.”

Cricket Ireland Performance Director Richard Holdsworth explained the rationale behind the new development: "There is a pressing requirement for such a facility to be built to service our increasing number of performance teams, as we found existing clubs are already overstretched in terms of hosting Cricket Ireland activity due to the impressive growth in participation figures in recent years.

"It will also provide training for touring overseas high performance teams who often request facilities prior to series against us - 2017 will see New Zealand, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and West Indies visiting Ireland," added Holdsworth.

"We have found that access to high-quality outdoor facilities has been a consistent theme emerging from the last two post-World Cup reviews. We have previously announced warm-weather outdoor plans for the La Manga Club Development (which is almost complete) and this home-based facility will augment that perfectly. We already have four ODI-accredited facilities in Ireland, but no quality outdoor training facilities so this will remedy that."

On basing the facility at the SINSC, Holdsworth felt that it was a natural fit given the unique benefits that the location would offer Irish cricket.

"The SINSC is ‘owned’ by sport so guarantees access and maintenance, whereas by contrast, gaining access to club grounds is dependent upon the availability of volunteer personnel and facilities prepared to suitable standards. The establishment on the campus will enable cross-pollination with other high-performance sports, and of course the centre is to be located adjacent to the state-of-the-art Sport Ireland Institute offering close access to their programmes.

"The SINSC is now recognised as a world-leader in ‘hot-housing’ performance sport, and includes high performance gyms and testing facilities to which our players will would have access."

Work on the new facility is expected to start subject to the necessary planning permissions in early 2017 with the artificial area being completed ahead of the season, with the grass nets operational in 2018

http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABA...4/002438.shtml

[Rifat]

^^Great move by the ICCand Cricket Ireland but I am afraid they are 5/6 years late.

[brockley]

Ireland selectors have 2 make calls on underperforming players.
In 4 day they are allright,altho they play Afghanistan in India in March tough call/
One dayers they have persisted with underperforming players,they need 2 make a call.
Also a worry the ammount of county players is becoming less and less,as players are no longer up 2 standard.

[Gowza]

Afghanistan imo are worthy of getting a test call up, Ireland not so much. Don't get me wrong I think if Ireland gets it then they've earned it but I'm talking from a talent perspective and also improvement, Afghanistan have shown that with little resources and little experience they really can compete well, Ireland has had a lot of opportunities to groom players through county and they've still had it tough to compete with the better teams. Then again Afghanistan are not the norm as far as rising teams so I dont't think we can expect others to make such rises.

But it's always great to see test cricket expand. Scotland and Netherlands may have opportunities in the future to become test nations.

[brockley]

Holland done ok in the intercontinetal game,but 1 day and T20 primarily their game,whereas Scotland has 1 depth and a rich history of all cricket.
The money that will go in2 Irelands game,and its history mean they will make a go at it,they have some good players that played in the last youth world cup,and its time to give these players a go in the irish line up.They will be fine when it comes to 2019.
It reminds me when Zimbabwe and S Africa came into test cricket 91/92,it was an exciting period.

[Donal C]

End of the day Ireland are entering, hell have already entered, a phase were we wont be that good for a while, but the structures are being implemented to make us good in future, provided we get the support and more importantly funding.

If we get the funding to actually have an A team, the odd U19 tour and give some contracts domestically, we'll be fine.

Short term as brokley says, some deadwood needs clearing, team needs freshening up and more importantly captaincy needs changing, Will has been captain for 8 years now, and in t20 especially he doesnt even make the team on merit IMO.

[brockley]

Apart from Ed Joyce all the batsmen have been underwhelming since the world cup.The batsmen not doing too well in county cricket either.

[Donal C]

Wilson lost his spot due to his Ireland commitments and I'm confident will do well for Derbyshire next season. Niall had a good year as always but again, lost his spot due to Ireland and has no retired from county cricket. He definitely will retire after the 2018 WC Qualifier if we fail to qualify.

Balbirnie was good in the WC but suffered a bad injury and is only back playing now. He needs time to refind his form.

Kevin and Joyce both excellent this year actually, cant fault them. Porterfield poor, needs to be removed from captaincy to see how that affects his ability. Team has gotten far too stale under him recently.

Young/Chase are far too raw and need some actual professional coaching because both have some pace, can hit 139 or so and average speed around 136 I'd say, which isn't too shabby. Both of them too wayward and fond of bowling tripe short balls at the moment and need an actual coach IMO, because they've shown glimpses of potential (Young's early form before WC was magnificent, Chase was good vs AFG this year) but they were absolutely out of it vs SA/AUS, albeit on belters.

Really want to see us take a squad of 17 to India for AFG series. Need t20 specialists and give Tucker/Anders a shot at the top level.