Opinion: It’s time for the ECB to offer Ireland’s cricketers a real hand up

The rains came and with them went Ireland’s chances of a result against England

With just two One-Day International matches scheduled against top-class opposition this summer, each chance Ireland’s cricketers get to test themselves at the highest level is crucial to the long-term goal of gaining Test-playing status. So today’s damp squib is not only a disappointment for the 10,000 fans who bought tickets - many of whom saw the weather forecast and thought better of even making the trip out to north Dublin, while the rest trooped slowly down to the pubs of Malahide in time for lunch - but a big blow to Cricket Ireland, who now must wait until August’s Stormont visit of Australia on the horizon for their next big occasion. Not only have players been robbed the chance to claim yet another scalp and the vital experience that each ODI provides, but the overall growth of the game is hampered when a capacity crowd and live TV audience are denied the rare showpiece occasion for the sport here. Until Ireland are given a real fixture programme by the ICC, our development as a cricket nation remains at the mercy of the gods. While their established brethren can simply write off a rainout as just one of a three, five or even seven-match series, Ireland played just nine ODIs against top-flight opponents in the four years between the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, so every missed opportunity hurts that much more. New coach John Bracewell, who was in attendance for Ireland’s brief appearance with the bat this morning, has been tasked with leading Ireland to ICC Full Member status and a place at the table with the big boys of world cricket, but that will require a lot more than just springing a shock or two every four years. Rather than these one-off fixtures, where an experimental England side are somewhat begrudgingly fulfilling a promise made to their neighbours to travel to these shores every other year (which in itself is an attempt to hold Ireland back, coming as it did in exchange for Ireland agreeing not to schedule any internationals that would clash with England games), Ireland need to be playing much more regularly against the likes of Australia, India and Pakistan, whether as tourists themselves or as hosts to teams visiting England. It is entirely understandable that the Irish do not represent the commercial draw that the likes of India and Australia bring to the cricket grounds of England, but if the ECB and ICC are ever to get serious about assisting the growth of Irish cricket and offering a carrot to the associate nations in general, efforts must be made to make Ireland a more regular member of their fixture programme. Ideally, Ireland could be added to the triangular series that often bookend touring sides’ trips to England, but perhaps more realistic would be the insistence that every country play a game in Ireland as part of their tour schedule. Current international fixture lists, which have bloated beyond all reason in recent years, make it incredibly difficult to fit in extra matches, and any reallocation of match days to associate nations will come at a cost, be it the revenues of that seventh ODI in a series or to the English counties who traditionally enjoy the fruits of tourists’ warm-up games. Such an edict could come from the ICC, but by attempting to cull the associates from the next World Cup they have already demonstrated that their commitment to the progress of associate cricket is little more than lip service. Hence it is England to whom Ireland must look to, to back up their words of support with real support to the game here. Unfortunately, much like with the ICC, English cricket’s backing of the game in Ireland appears to have plateaued. They have done little to further Ireland’s Test match ambitions, and continue to enjoy the fruits of Ireland’s development in the form of poaching our most talented players. From a position of dominance at the associate level, Ireland risk stagnation just at the moment when the sport in the country appears to be gaining momentum. Bland platitudes about growing the game globally are being put to the test, and as yet nobody seems willing to answer the bell, leaving Ireland’s hopes of progressing the sport at home at the mercy of the skies above.