Ireland plan first Test after gaining full member status

Ireland have been awarded Test status and given full member status following a meeting of the International Cricket Council [ICC], the sport’s governing body, in London yesterday.

Ireland and Afghanistan will become the sport’s first new full members since the promotion of Bangladesh in 2000, following a unanimous vote at the ICC’s annual conference at the Oval.

Ireland will see their ICC funding double to €5m a year, and Cricket Ireland’s chief executive Warren Deutrom hopes Test status will help them hold on to their best players in the future.