Newly Inducted Ireland Likely To Host A Test Match Next Summer
Jun 23, 2017 at 5:01 PM
The mood in the cricketing fraternity is extremely jubilant after the ICC awarded Ireland and Afghanistan the full membership of the Council.
By the virtue of gaining an elite ICC Full Member status, the two nations now are eligible to play and host Test matches and are the newest entrants into the Test cricket family. This surely marks a historic occasion in the rich legacy of this game.
Preparations have already commenced for Ireland, as the side is planning to host a Test match next summer. Having beaten the likes of West Indies and England in the ICC World Cup events in the past, the Irish will now be eager to leave an impression in the highest and the longest form of the game.
Cricket Ireland chairman Ross McCollum said that the nation was eager to host a Test match next summer.
“We will discuss that down the line,” said McCollum. “But we have to make sure we are ready to take on England in a five-day match. The worst scenario would be if the game was finished in three days.”But there will be Test cricket in Ireland in the next 12 months.”
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom too was optimistic and termed the move to give Ireland the Test status as brilliant.
“I think it sets a terrific example,” Deutrom said. “What happened today for Full Membership for Ireland and Afghanistan is part of a much broader series of governance changes that the game has had the courage to embrace today.”
“If you are able to put together and show the sport in your country embraces a robust status, strong governance, strong administration, quality performance over a period of years, not just your men but your women, not just your seniors but your juniors, not just on the pitch but off the pitch, the quality of your financial rigour and can show you are sustainable as a business with your commercial revenue generation,” he added.