On the eve of the England v Ireland play off at the Twenty20 World Cup, Rob Quin, founder of the 'Test Cricket for Ireland' campaign on Facebook writes an open letter to England's ace.


Three months ago I wrote the first open 'cricket' letter to a personality whose talent I respected, but whose actions I abhorred.

Eoin Morgan is the central figure in tomorrow's England v Ireland T20 World Cup game. Currently England are 1/10 to win the game with Ireland 5/1 outsiders, however such has been the meteoric rise of the Dubliner, were he representing the country of his birth the odds would undoubtedly much closer to 50/50.

Reviewing this letter and thinking further about this week's match up and that of the next World Cup in India and Bangladesh when the two sides meet again leaves an unpleasant unmovable tattoo a reflection of today's international cricket landscape and Eoin Morgan's Irish generation.

'Dear Eoin Morgan,

You are described in today's London Times by James Anderson as 'genius'. With the bat, yes, but not with the tongue.

Referring to your words as quoted 'the opportunities were not there' you must mean two things a, test cricket b, earning potential. OK, fair enough. You would hardly have got an IPL contract without the exposure of playing for England. I can accept that.

What I cannot accept is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Irish Cricket's profile continues to rise; today the ICC approved a structure to be undertaken before Ireland's application for Full Member Status will be considered.

You sir have played your part in the growth of Irish Cricket and you are now Ireland's highest profile cricketer as such you could further the cause of Irish Cricket, not demean it. After all despite what the English media write you are an Irishman playing for England not an Englishman.

There is light at the end of the tunnel and it's shining brightly, indeed three Irish Under 19's are affiliated to your county. How many English Under 19's do Middlesex have? One.

But for your intervention we would have beaten your poms in an ODI; I think you could call that light. As on the field we progress so Cricket Ireland does off the field at a great rate. So please chose your words wisely, your comments carry weight.

When asked 'Did any part of you want to stay to help Ireland achieve Test status? Why could you not say" I'd like to think I am helping Ireland by proving Irish players can compete at the highest level, that the quality of players coming through has never been higher, currently the opportunity does not exist for Ireland to play Test Cricket so having considered the options I made my decision but of course one day soon I would love to see Ireland enter the Test arena."  You answered "None whatsoever" and "nothing resembled light at the end of the tunnel."

Frankly you owe your country and supporters more than that.

If you truly feel this to be the case I wish you would expand so things can be put right.

Respectfully,
Rob Quin.'

Reviewing this letter ahead of tomorrow's game a couple of points stand out immediately. Former England player David Lloyd observed the following about young Eoin.

"He is the catalyst for this England team and could play Test cricket but he's not going about things the right way," said Lloyd. "He's missing the start of the County Championship to play in the IPL and that puts him out of contention."

"There's no reason why he should not be in every team that England pick. I have a hunch he will make it as a Test player. I like his character, his savvy and his responsibility when he bats."

The point is if Morgan left Ireland to be a Test player why is playing in the IPL?

Ultimately Eoin Morgan is a young adult trying to make a few million bob with a bat and a ball. Trying to put oneself in his position is not an easy task, and the route he has taken is one that could foreseeably be taken by current and future teammates.

The fact is Ireland's brightest star plays for England and is looked upon as a traitor by some fans and with maybe a little jealousy by some former teammates.

Eoin's Ireland and my generation are twenty years apart.

I have two abiding sporting memories from my life, Ciaran Fitzgerald in Lansdowne Road 1985 berating the Ireland Rugby side with ten minutes to go eyeballing every Irish player and bellowing the immortal words "where's your f****** pride ? " Of course Michael Kiernan's drop goal did the rest.

Two years later Ireland were playing in their first major football Championship Euro 88. ITV panelist Brian Clough virtually guaranteed Ireland would be well beaten on the basis of Ireland central defensive 'carthorse' pairing of McCarthy and Moran. Liam Brady provided the ITV Irish angle waited for his moment remembering Clough's statement claimed his preference for our carthorses over his thoroughbreds any day of the week. 'Why would you bring thoroughbreds to a donkey derby?'

Eoin Morgan deciding to turn his back on Ireland and take advantage of the ICC 's inept qualification rules, ultimately tells us more about ourselves than about Eoin Morgan. Asking myself would I do it has been a difficult question. I could accept Ed Joyce's decision, although not agree with it, but Irish Cricket is in a different place now. Test Status is not a dream but an achievable goal.

Eoin Morgan grew up in a different Ireland to the one I did.

Morgan playing for England saddens me because I am an Irish Cricket supporter. It saddens me further that his remarks to the press are careless and foolish.

But I am grateful, grateful in the knowledge that the attributes installed in me of loyalty and pride in my country are not something to be treated as a commodity to be traded.

                                 Rob Quin

Copyright: Cover Point