The reforms announced in the recently concluded ICC Meet in Dubai has instilled optimism in the Ireland Cricket Board regarding attaining the Test status. Cricket Ireland is seemingly overwhelmed by the constitutional changes that put in a new process for the associate members wishing to become full members and feels that they can achieve Test status by June later this year.
He also confirmed that Ireland voted in favour of the governance changes proposed by the ICC. The governance and constitutional changes were passed in the wee long meet by a 12-2 voting margin.
“The decision made by the ICC this week to clear the way forward for new full members to arrive by virtue of receiving merit-based criteria is so important because that speaks directly to what we’ve been arguing over the last few years,” said Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom while speaking at an event in Dublin to announce Turkish Airlines as the new chief sponsor of its men’s senior team.
Deutrom also was confident that Ireland can fulfil almost all the criteria required to satisfy ICC.
“It’s going to be about 20 to 25 criteria and it’s going to be across governance, administration, cricket structures, development and performance, financial sustainability. Every prospective member has to be able to satisfy all of those criteria. We’ve done a bit of a desktop exercise in looking into it and we are reasonably encouraged by our ability to satisfy those criteria.”
Once an associate member applies for the full membership, the application will be screened by the committee before a recommendation on the same is passed on to the ICC board. A final decision would be likely taken at the ICC annual conference, slated to be held on June 22.
“Once we make that submission it will go through to a brand new constituted membership committee. That membership committee will consider that application and make a recommendation accordingly to the ICC board and to the ICC annual conference, which this year takes place in London, with the AGM happening on June 22nd.
“So, with a fair wind, with us satisfying those criteria – that’s the first hoop to jump through. The second is the membership committee and the third is a decision by the ICC membership. If we manage to hurdle all those barriers then we could be a full member and a Test member by June 22nd this year.”
Additionally, Deutrom is also hoped that Ireland will receive an increased amount of funding under the new revenue model. It remains unclear whether they will continue to receive the funding after acquiring the Test status as the Iris men will o longer fall under the associate nation category.
ICC has decided to set aside a total of $280 million for the associate nations and Deutrom was hopeful of getting a better funding in the next eight-year cycle.
“It would be what we hope is a very significant increase in funding levels.”