Rob Quin, founder of Ireland's Facebook campaign for Test status, 'Test Cricket for Ireland', welcomes Ed Joyce back into the Irish fold in his own inimitable style.
Dear Ed,
Bray, Co Wicklow has a history of International Cricket - on July 25th 1912 Ireland played South Africa at Woodbrook. The South Africans were comfortable winners. The golf club has consumed the cricket ground and the only reminder of a cricketing history is the clubhouse originally designed in a pavilion style.
The recent announcement and future repercussions' may awaken the sporting community in Bray and throughout Ireland. Ed Joyce may not be the most naturally talented batsmen this country has ever produced but he is certainly the best.
Prior to the Twenty20 world cup Phil Simmons was worried that the balance of the Ireland side was tilted in strength towards batting and that the bowling may struggle against top class opposition, which was a fair assessment given the loss of McCallan and West. However it was Ireland's batsmen that were exposed was against the genuine pace and accuracy of the West Indies bowlers. To criticize would be harsh given this was new territory for Ireland playing a host nation first up in world cup in front of a raucous fan base. For all the experience today's Irish team posses nobody can match the Sussex player's career to date.
While we will never know if Ireland would have knocked off those 120 English runs (although we absolutely would have) it has certainly whetted the appetite for the 2nd March 2011 and the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. England will be better, buoyed by their West Indies triumph but so will Ireland.
Ireland can look forward with optimism and confidence and buoyed that England may have dropped the biggest dolly of all-time. Ignoring the Bray man's credentials and EJ not getting selected to play in Test is to me a folly beyond belief.
The two best left hander's England have produced in the last thirty years were David Gower and Graham Thorpe, Gower's first class average is 40.08 and Thorpe's 45.08, compared to Ed's 44.84.
Player and first class average.
Joyce LH 44.84
Collingwood RH 37.14
Pietersen RH 50.35
Bell RH 43.45
Shah RH 42.08
Vaughan RH 35.95
Cook LH 44.71
Strauss LH 42.32
Bopara RH 41.93
Trott RH 44.93
Carberry LH 42.79
Morgan LH 36.64
The conspiracy theorists have suggested you were picked primarily to aid England's world cup effort in 2007, the figures make interesting reading and there is grounds to query why no Test call up ever came.
When Ireland goes to church on Sunday ask your Pastor or Priest to say a little prayer, thanking you Geoff Miller, thank you Andy Flower, thank you David Graveney, thank you Duncan Fletcher, your loss is Ireland's gain, and what a gain.
Hopefully the next Sussex Championship fixture will yield the 6 runs to become the first Irishman to score 10,000 first class runs in the modern era. A truly great achievement, which I hope will be suitably celebrated on Anglesea Road and in County Wicklow. A leader on the field and exemplary manner off it, Cricket Ireland is fortunate indeed.
However approaching 32 years of age the goal of playing Test Cricket can and must be achieved, Kenya have shown that to hesitate is to lose. Should Cricket Ireland not do everything in their power to push for an early promotion valuable momentum would be lost. Ireland has a seasoned side one capable of playing Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in a Test Match series already and possibly one off tests against some of the 'bigger' nations. It is good to hear the players talk of Ireland's promotion, but the boat needs to be pushed, the pace quickened.
On the pitch Porterfield has done an admirable job in Captaincy, with capable lieutenants in Johnston, O'Brien and Botha, however you bring another dimension to the squad, a mentor for the batsmen, one thinks particularly that Paul Stirling will benefit.
As Cricket Ireland deals with the reality of fulfilling the ICC's requirements to become a test nation opportunity will exist for smart experienced cricket minds on and off the pitch, a first class system needs to be implemented. Recently Cover Point named 30 players who would be looking to contribute to Ireland's next World Cup; indeed it would not be hard to name 30 more on the fringe. If CI decides to implement a four team first class competition, four squads of quality players should not be a problem. Crucial to any new set up will be 'star' attractions, crowd pullers. Can you think who may fit the bill?
Initially a first class competition should be run over the minimum number of games two semi-finals, a 3rd place play-off and a final, so the competition could be held during breaks in the county season to allow English based players to participate.
How ironic would it be that a man leaves Ireland to play Test Cricket fails in that goal but achieves it playing Test Cricket for Ireland. Beautiful. Irish Cricket has come a long way since 2001; my guess is that if the rate of progress continues Ed Joyce will be one of the most important figures in the process. Welcome home.
Respectfully,
Rob Quin.
