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2011 Cricket World Cup


Stubby

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On the associates question - Ireland are just a whisker away from test status IMO. Add Morgan into their side and they would be much better.

Trouble is, they don't want Test status. It would cost them a fortune.

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Trouble is, they don't want Test status. It would cost them a fortune.

I thought I heard last week that they had applied for it. [goes off a googling...]

Huh. My goodle-fu is snafu. Can't find it again now.

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I thought I heard last week that they had applied for it. [goes off a googling...]

Huh. My goodle-fu is snafu. Can't find it again now.

There was an interview with the head of their cricket governing body on BBC radio last week. He said that they want to be regular participants in the one-day international series, but that the absence of a big potential TV audience, spectator base, domestic competition, deep selection pool and test class grounds meant that, even if they weren't broke anyway, it was not feasible to move into Test cricket.

Edit: This article seems a bit more positive, though.

http://thescore.thejournal.ie/deutrom-an-unforgettable-victory-but-were-not-quite-ready-for-test-matches-yet-2011-3/

Second edit: Why did I drop Dilshan?

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On the associates question - Ireland are just a whisker away from test status IMO. Add Morgan into their side and they would be much better.

If they had their first-choice side then I think they could maybe be competitive against the weaker Test nations but I think they lack strength in depth. I don't think they have enough professional players for a full team at the moment and if key players like Porterfield, Joyce or the O'Brien brothers got injured then they'd struggle to replace them.

I think the problem with Test cricket for the minor nations is that there all the Test nations are currently theoretically equal and should play each other about the same number of times. Ireland or Holland could maybe have good competitive matches against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe but Test matches against the likes of South Africa, Australia or England would probably tend to be embarrassingly one-sided. If Ireland continue to develop they might be good enough in a decade or so but not yet.

Incidentally, I wonder if Aghanistan rather than Ireland could be the next Test nation. There are obviously huge potential problems (not much change of getting other teams to tour, for a start) but they very nearly qualified for the World Cup at their first attempt and their potential player base and audience is probably much greater than Ireland's.

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More game time, even in the shorter formats, will only help their fan base increase, and if that's what they need then good luck to them I say.

How popular is cricket in Ireland in general? The problem as far as I can tell is that it is a relatively small country in terms of population, and you already have the GAA sports, rugby and to a lesser extent soccer already established. Where does cricket fit in there? Any Irish folks on here who can give us their perspective?

It is really interesting to consider the future of Test cricket in these associate nations. Bangladesh still struggles and as far as I know, is very popular in that country (though it is very poor). I do worry for the future of test cricket in general.

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HOLY MOTHERFUCKER! What a match.... :love: Bangladesh, I love so hard right now!

Woah, easy there Nil. Love the fact that you stayed up until nearly 4:00 am to watch the game though :cheers:.

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Woah, easy there Nil. Love the fact that you stayed up until nearly 4:00 am to watch the game though :cheers:.

Haha, no can do bud! These wins are rare as hell (specially sweet since its England). Our house erupted with grown men screaming like little girls (in a totally manly way, of course!) when we won. Must've woke a neighbor or two. It was a big match for us and what a match it turned out to be :).

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Yeah yeah good stuff Bangladesh - but that doesn't explain why I made Chris Gayle my captain for the Ireland match and then they didn't pick him...

Great minds Stubs, I did the same thing

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