Rob Quin, founder of the Facebook campaign 'Test Cricket for Ireland' writes a frank letter to the English Cricket Board.
Dear England Cricket Board,
It seems that relationships between England and Ireland at this point in history are extremely cordial, as good as at any time in the last millennium or two.
Cordial is probably the right word to describe how the ECB treat Cricket Ireland. For years England basically ignored Ireland offered a token MCC fixture, the regular Irish contingent that visited Lord's every year welcomed as a bunch of talented enthusiastic beer swilling amateurs although looked upon with a touch of curiosity by the local MCC members.
However Ireland's rise as a cricketing country over the past few years has left the hierarchy of English Cricket a familiar question asked by the English upper classes for centuries, How to solve the Irish question ?
The problem for England stems from fear, fear of competition off the field, fear of losing on the field to the upstart minnow neighbors. Of course this was a preposterous suggestion twenty years ago, but not today. Paddy Power quote Ireland as 5/1 to beat England with England 1/10 to win at the upcoming T20 World Cup, still long shot's but not no hopers, the odds men are saying that Ireland will beat England once every 7.5 games, to the hierarchy and old boy network of the MCC that simply cannot happen, the very thought of it evokes the fear that is sterilizing the game in England.
The ECB selection policy has trusted in the development structures of South Africa and Ireland as much as their own. The England squad contains eleven English born players; eleven Irish born players will also compete at the world cup although outlandishly to some, one of those will be paying against Ireland for England.
While the game in Ireland goes through a massive upswing the same cannot be said in England with playing numbers on the decline.
The England Captain for the upcoming World T20 Paul Collingwood asked about England's chances declared Ireland as a 'very workmanlike' side whom England have 'played quite a lot recently'.
That's a load of John Bull by any standard Mr. Collingwood. A fixture in 2006, one at the World Cup in 2007 (you could not avoid that one) and one last year when all you and the England players did was moan and whinge about having to play an ODI when all you really wanted to do was party after winning the Ashes. In fact Sir you have played Ireland in T20 cricket international the same number of times I have won a formula one Grand Prix, or an Olympic Gold, this week when you play Ireland you will equal the number times I caddied my player to a top ten in a PGA Tour event, one time.
If the definition of a couple of begrudging fixtures over five years and zero fixtures in an ODI or T20 international against England in England is Collingwood's measure of games between the sides, the ECB stand accused of a shameful record of aiding the development of Cricket at the highest level. The ECB should stop viewing Ireland as a nursery and more of a potential competitor with revenue producing possibilities for both in a similar way that Australia worked with New Zealand. Does the ECB have a policy to help Ireland or are you content to merely follow ICC directives ?
The potential of Ireland v England is massive in Tests, ODI and T20. Particularly in T20 three team and four team tournaments with touring sides.
Contrary to the opinions of former coach Duncan Fletcher who stated his views against a two tier Test system by claiming 'England's visit to Bangladesh would stimulate enthusiasm in a way playing Zimbabwe or Ireland never would'. Of course England are such regular visitors to Dharka and Chittagong. Voicing against a two-tier system in Test Cricket is one thing but reasoning against it on England's record of aiding developing Cricket nations is laughable.
The biggest fixture in Bangladesh is the one against India, why because they are neighbours, England's biggest game is Australia, why ? Because of history. The only other reason to create a rivalry in sport is closeness in ability. Rivalry in sport equals revenue. We all know at the end of the day its all about the money.
Ireland v England has the proximity factor, the historical factor (granted not necessarily on the cricket pitch), and if England stopped nicking our players the ability factor. Take Morgan out of the England side put him in the Irish side and what are the odds makers quoting then ?
To this writer it is a tragedy that last years Ireland Under 19's did not get an opportunity to play England at that level. At the recent Under 19 World Cup only Bangladesh finished between the countries as England claimed 8th place and Ireland 10th although such is the ICC seeding system that the two countries did not play each other.
Both Cricket Ireland and the ECB need to establish an annual fixture at this level at the very least and since Ireland have hosted England to two ODI's in Belfast surely its common courtesy to extend an invitation to play a biannual ODI in England.
How about it Old Boy ?
Respectfully,
Rob Quin.
Copyright: Cover Point
