Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

ICC have made both countries full members now.

i'm really not sure how i feel about this

i am all for expanding the game and trying to get the game to a bigger audience but at the same time i worry what will happen if we end up with more very one-sided matches or series

rich1uk wrote:i'm really not sure how i feel about this

i am all for expanding the game and trying to get the game to a bigger audience but at the same time i worry what will happen if we end up with more very one-sided matches or series

No one is forcing teams to play these two though. I expect they'll only play teams like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and West Indies first.

It took Bangladesh about 15 years to become a decent team so there needs to be a lot of patience...

dan08 wrote:It took Bangladesh about 15 years to become a decent team so there needs to be a lot of patience...

not sure that in todays world that they will get that patience

I think Afghanistan will be fine as they have a massive player pool and lots of talented youngsters. They will get up to a decent standard. Not got much hope for Ireland though.

I thought test cricket was dying?

Complaints of too many tests played in front of sparse crowds......

Looks possible that a two-tier test structure might be an option. Not that I am in favour of this.

dan08 wrote:

rich1uk wrote:i'm really not sure how i feel about this

i am all for expanding the game and trying to get the game to a bigger audience but at the same time i worry what will happen if we end up with more very one-sided matches or series

No one is forcing teams to play these two though. I expect they'll only play teams like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and West Indies first.

An informal two divisions makes sense.

Messes the records and stats up though.

Perhaps touring teams can play 1 or 2 Tests against Ireland/Afghanistan as warm ups before an England/India home series.

dan08 wrote:Perhaps touring teams can play 1 or 2 Tests against Ireland/Afghanistan as warm ups before an England/India home series.

and perhaps Irish players will stop playing for Eng? That would probably help strengthen the Irish side

Congratulations and good luck to both sides, a big day to those who promote the game in those countries. An amazing achievement for Afg in particular.

Red Devil wrote: and perhaps Irish players will stop playing for Eng? That would probably help strengthen the Irish side

will the ECB now have to change the status of Irish players playing in county cricket as they are currently not counted against any quotas for overseas players

if Ireland are going to be full members then shouldn't they be required to stand on their own merits ?

The ICC and other teams must fully support these new teams.

But i dont think that will ever happen.

I guess we might see a few test played between these 2 and Zimbabwae.

yuppie wrote:The ICC and other teams must fully support these new teams.

But i dont think that will ever happen.

I guess we might see a few test played between these 2 and Zimbabwae.

the point i was getting at above is the ECB always get criticised for "stealing" Irish players but the development of Irish cricket to its current level would never have been possible without county cricket as they dont have the infrastructure or access to competitive cricket in their own right

there will have to be some sort of change to the overseas rules from the ECB i think as why should a zimbabwean or afghan cricketer be subject to overseas quotas if irish cricketers aren't ?

i'm all for giving support to them but the ECB's job is to look after English cricket and if Ireland wants to be full members, as they now are, then they cant piggy back off the ECB and county cricket indefinitely without some sort of return for the ECB.

I was not refering to the ECB, more the general cricketing comunity.

In the last 20 years the ICC has missed golden opportunitys to grow the game when smaller associates have stepped up their game. I can think of Kenya, Holland and Ireland who with a bit more support from the ICC and other member nations might have been able to grow the game in those countries when they managed a bit of success. Even with Ireland now it seems that the ICC has acted 5 years to late. Not that Ireland should have had test status 5 years ago, but they should have done so much more to help them.

Afg seem to have come good at the right time for this decision, and hopefully they should grow quickly with this. But i can not see Ireland doing the same.

But over the coming years i think we shall see a few tests between Ireland, Afg, Zim and BD. And thats no bad thing for now. Perhaps Irelands first test could be againt England at the end of the summer.... in Ireland. I would be happy to Australia play some test cricket in northern Australia again like they did again BD a few years ago. Perhaps one of tests in July, one in Darwin and one in Cairns?

Actually where will Ireland play its tests? And more importantly, where will Afg, will two teams be playing in UAE?