Ireland appeal World Cup snub
Cricket Ireland has been feverishly talking to other non-Test nations following yesterday’s decision to restrict the next world cup to the ten Test teams despite the fact that Ireland rank higher than Zimbabwe and have flourished at the 2007 and ‘11 events.
They are likely to fight the ruling at the annual conference in June but they won’t show their cards to the ICC just yet.
“We don’t want to do is give our hand away and say ‘Dear ICC, we’re telling the media everything we’re going to do so you can prepare for it’,” said Cricket Ireland’s CEO Warren Deutrom.
“It’s tough to know what the deadline is. Either way we feel, we as the associates, that the annual conference in June is the most obvious way to make a statement. Really rather than doing anything irrationally and injudiciously we’re going to be looking at this when we’ve all had a chance to sit down and consider it properly.”
They are looking at several options but early indications are that they will fight the ICC over three key issues.
“More than 90% of the cricket membership is outraged by this. We’ve got to work out a way to be most effective.
“Is it a resolution at the annual congress? Is it a legal option? Is it claiming that the ICC or directors have acted unconstitutionally?
“There’s a hell of a lot to ascertain which we haven’t been able to do in 24 hours.”
No matter what course they take, Deutrom plans to do it with the backing of the associate members.
“We’re still talking to our constituents. The associate chairman sent round a note to 95 non-Test countries yesterday and all I’ve done in the last 24 hours is react.
“I’ve got 100 plus phone calls on both days saying what’s the reaction. What we don’t want to do is make an injudicious decision.
“This decision doesn’t just affect Ireland. We are perhaps the most wronged country by this but we’ll act together with the other 94 countries because there’s going to be nothing like strength in numbers.”
They’ve received huge backing from the cricket world with high-profile cricketers Freddie Flintoff and Michael Vaughan backing their cause yesterday through Twitter.
“It’s terrific to hear there are great cricketers out there who understand the sheer unfairness of this decision.
“Purely for teams to improve, especially those showing signs of improvement, they need to be on the world stage.
“To make that decision so soon after those performances flies in the face of all logic.’’
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