Ireland ready to vent frustrations on Zimbabwe

To Ireland cricket fans, no country is the source of as much envy and vexation as Zimbabwe.

Ireland are jealous that Zimbabwe enjoy the lavish benefits of being a full member of the International Cricket Council: eight times as much funding, Test status, and a far more bountiful fixture list: last year Australia and South Africa visited Zimbabwe for a tri-series.

The anger comes because Zimbabwe have to do nothing to justify these benefits. Because of the archaic structure of the ICC, run akin to a 19th Century Victorian private members’ club, Zimbabwe can lose every single game, in every format, without imperilling their full member privileges.