Cricket heading into semi-pro era
Ireland will play matches against nine English counties in the C&G Trophy, starting with the visit of Shane Warne’s Hampshire to Clontarf on April 23 and wrapping up with a home game in Stormont against Somerset on June 25.
Adrian Birrell’s side will also take in two trips to Lords, defend their Intercontinental Cup title and play an historic first ever full one-day international - against England - that has been fixed for the Belfast venue for June 13.
The demands on Ireland’s amateurs will be greatest in 2007. Before the World Cup, the side will embark on a tour of Africa and the likelihood is that players will need up to four months leave from their jobs.
“That’s a natural follow on from the success we’ve had and it’s one area we need to address,” said Birrell. “There’s no way the players can continue to be total amateurs when every game they play will be against a totally professional team.
“There’s going to have to be some movement. We’ll never be able to afford to contract 15 players but we might be able compensate players in some way for their time and their commitment and that’s going to be massive in the next few years.”
Andre Botha and Trent Johnston, who are both employed full-time by cricket clubs in this country, should have little difficulty in organising time off but others like Jason Mollins, who works in London, might find it more difficult.
It’s an issue which Birrell said is being widely discussed among all six of the ICC’s Associate (non-Test) nations. So, is semi-professionalism the answer?
“I think so,” said the South African. “We’re discussing it at the moment, the pros and cons, but certainly from a coach’s point of view we have to move in that direction. The demands I’m going to have to make on the players will be massive. They’ll have to be fully professional three months before the World Cup.
“We’ll be taking them away to South Africa, Namibia and Kenya on a tour which will be the best part of three months. There’s no way that their employers are going to let them away for that length of time without any compensation.”
Further evidence of the giant strides Irish cricket has taken in recent years arrived yesterday with the announcement that Bank of Ireland is to extend its lead sponsorship of the national team for a further two years with an option to renew the deal at the end of 2007.
Birrell is confident that, despite the loss of Ed Joyce who is thought to be on the verge of winning an England ‘A’ cap, Ireland’s graph will continue to show significant improvement.
“We’ve got the nucleus of a team which, I believe, can take us further forward in world cricket. We’ve risen from eighth in the Associates rankings to first this year. That’s where we are, that’s where we’re seeded.
“We’ll be competing against nine English counties next year and it’s always been my contention that we need to be competing against the professional teams in order to progress.
“The game against England is probably going to be the highlight but we’ll be playing twice at Lords as well. These are things that we would never have dreamt about four years ago, or even two years ago, but they’re happening.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
