Intercontinental Cup, 2007

[Chemosit]

Terrible weather forecasted for the Weekend all over the UK and Ireland, with a strong possibility both matches ending as rain affected draws.

That would be a disaster for Scotland, great for Namibia and irritating for both Kenya and Ireland. Scotland have to get 20 points from this match (God forbid!) if they are to make the top 2, while Ireland have a tough 2 matches against Kenya and Namibia still to come.

Considering Namibia are still to play Bermuda at home, they will effectively be confirmed as in the final should this weekend's games be drawn/rained out.

Hopefully the rain will hold off enough to allow results in both games

 

[andruid]

According to cricinfo Day one of the Scotland v. Kenya match has already been lost to rain, while the Ireland/Canada game won't start in time

 

[Chemosit]

Namibia loving every minute of this

 

[andruid]

Namibia loving every minute of this

Oh dear, its making our games against the Dutch and the Irish even more must-win. I hope they can at least squeeze in enough play for Kenya to at least nick the batting points so grim is the forecast

 

[Chemosit]

first day washed out for both matches. I feel for Scotland - not that I want them to do well of course, but it sucks when things are taken out of your hands.

It will also be a big blow to Ireland who would have been counting on 20 points against Canada.

Here's hoping that day 2 sees some play...

 

[andruid]

Ireland quickly to 50/0 and there is some hope that there will be play today in the Scotland v. Kenya game.

 

[Chemosit]

Play called off on day 2 Scotland v Kenya. It is looking increasingly like this will be a total wash out. Even if they get to play, Scotland are extremely unlikely to be able to take the points they need to remain in contention.

Ireland 4 down against Canada, so things still could be ok for Kenya...

 

[andruid]

No play on Day 2 at Titwood.

 

[Perm]

Ireland 300/5 against Canada, Andrew White notching up his second FC century and is currently 102*. Real shame that the English counties don't release Irish players for these games, William Porterfield and Niall O'Brian are both playing for their respective teams this round.

 

[andruid]

Ireland 300/5 against Canada, Andrew White notching up his second FC century and is currently 102*. Real shame that the English counties don't release Irish players for these games, William Porterfield and Niall O'Brian are both playing for their respective teams this round.

The ICC needs to give tournaments like these bigger profile for that to be a possibility.

 

[stumpski]

Ireland 300/5 against Canada, Andrew White notching up his second FC century and is currently 102*. Real shame that the English counties don't release Irish players for these games, William Porterfield and Niall O'Brian are both playing for their respective teams this round.

They generally do, but it's left up to the player concerned whether he wants to go or not. Often they opt to stay with their county because they're afraid that their replacement will do well and keep them out of the side.

Also, most Scottish and Irish county players would sooner be playing T20s in front of a full house than some unreported and virtually unattended match against another associate team [see Holland - Bermuda thread]

 

[chaminda_00]

Yeah counties are generally happy enough to release them. It just the players and boards agree to only ask for release them for important matches. All the counties pretty much released all the players for the Twenty20 series recently.

Also these matches are as much about development, as they are about results. So in some ways it better that players who usually don't get a chance to play FC cricket get matches.

 

[andruid]

Yeah counties are generally happy enough to release them. It just the players and boards agree to only ask for release them for important matches. All the counties pretty much released all the players for the Twenty20 series recently.

Also these matches are as much about development, as they are about results. So in some ways it better that players who usually don't get a chance to play FC cricket get matches.

From the above two posts it is quite concerning that there is a perception that one cannot keep a national team place and a county contract at the same time. With full time Test pros when they have to bugger off on some exotic tour after signing for a county, they do not seem to be as hung up about losing a starting place with whatever county they signed for as they tend to expect to walk straight back into the XIs once their international commitments are done. I reckon that if the Intercontinental Cup was as glamourous as it could possily be then it could become a help rather than a hindrance to potential starslooking to make an impression with Counties the way say a good tour would earn a fresh faced Test player a county deal. Although for that to happen the Intercontinental Cup would need the more recognisable stars to add their shine to the event.

On a separate pint wouldn't it be lovely if the likes od Scotland and Ireland invested in their own Multi-day cricket competitions?

 

[chaminda_00]

Players would come back if the tournment had a true purpose and significant prize at the end. Be it more money or a chance at a once off Test match verus Bangladesh or something. At present winning the tournment just means bragging rights, as you don't win much money and there nothing more after the tournment.

It is easy to say lets have a 3 or 4 domestic tournment, but it cost lots of money. Even an established country like Sri Lanka goes broke funding their FC championship.

 

[Chemosit]

Players would come back if the tournment had a true purpose and significant prize at the end. Be it more money or a chance at a once off Test match verus Bangladesh or something. At present winning the tournment just means bragging rights, as you don't win much money and there nothing more after the tournment.

It is easy to say lets have a 3 or 4 domestic tournment, but it cost lots of money. Even an established country like Sri Lanka goes broke funding their FC championship.

Both good points. However, they may go broke funding the FC comp, but it gives them the arsenal to play Tests and be an Full Member and get a lions' share of the $ when event like the WC come around. I think it should be an aim of the ICC to get all the top Associates playing their own domestic FC cricket, even if it is only 1 comp a year with 4 teams like Kenya are doing. At least it is steps in the right direction.

On a different note it looks as though the Titwood rain has decided to stay for the duration of the match. Shame - I just hope it clears enough for the ODIs

 

[andruid]

Even an established country like Sri Lanka goes broke funding their FC championship.

In a world where countries like India have billions of dollars to throw at T20 cricket is quite depressing. Its a known facet that FC cricket is where real cricketing skills are developed yet its not cool enough for the ICC to take proper care of, or even develop because its not the cash cow of the moment.
Paly in Ireland stalled by rain with the Canadians tottering at 31/3

 

[chaminda_00]

Both good points. However, they may go broke funding the FC comp, but it gives them the arsenal to play Tests and be an Full Member and get a lions' share of the $ when event like the WC come around. I think it should be an aim of the ICC to get all the top Associates playing their own domestic FC cricket, even if it is only 1 comp a year with 4 teams like Kenya are doing. At least it is steps in the right direction.

On a different note it looks as though the Titwood rain has decided to stay for the duration of the match. Shame - I just hope it clears enough for the ODIs

In a world where countries like India have billions of dollars to throw at T20 cricket is quite depressing. Its a known facet that FC cricket is where real cricketing skills are developed yet its not cool enough for the ICC to take proper care of, or even develop because its not the cash cow of the moment.
Paly in Ireland stalled by rain with the Canadians tottering at 31/3

TBF to ICC one of the main reason why the Intercontinental Cup was step up is due to fact they realised that it is unrealistic to expect Associates to step up their own FC championships with their own funds. The most realistic way to develop a new Test nation was through the Intercontinental Cup format.

As Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have shown having your own domestic FC competition doesn't mean a country will be able to make an automatic improvement to become Test standard overnight. You don't improve when you have crap playing crap. Which is all that domestic competition in these country will really achieve. Players and teams will improve by playing other half decent sides regularly.

Most of Sri Lanka's generation of FC veterens coming into the Test side like Silva, Vandort and Warnapura, would tell you they improved their batting to Test standard by playing League cricket in England and Grade Cricket in Australia, not FC cricket in Sri Lanka. Such is the poor standard of our domestic competition.

It nice Kenya have a FC competition, but personally I think their players would be better off trying to English league contracts or Grade Cricket contracts. From my understanding Kenya are trying to keep guys who get these contracts in Kenya to play in this tournment and other pointless training camps. If they keep doing that other countries will jump ahead of them, regardless whether they have a domestic FC competition or not.

 

[andruid]

TBF to ICC one of the main reason why the Intercontinental Cup was step up is due to fact they realised that it is unrealistic to expect Associates to step up their own FC championships with their own funds. The most realistic way to develop a new Test nation was through the Intercontinental Cup format.

As Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have shown having your own domestic FC competition doesn't mean a country will be able to make an automatic improvement to become Test standard overnight. You don't improve when you have crap playing crap. Which is all that domestic competition in these country will really achieve. Players and teams will improve by playing other half decent sides regularly.

Most of Sri Lanka's generation of FC veterens coming into the Test side like Silva, Vandort and Warnapura, would tell you they improved their batting to Test standard by playing League cricket in England and Grade Cricket in Australia, not FC cricket in Sri Lanka. Such is the poor standard of our domestic competition.

It nice Kenya have a FC competition, but personally I think their players would be better off trying to English league contracts or Grade Cricket contracts. From my understanding Kenya are trying to keep guys who get these contracts in Kenya to play in this tournment and other pointless training camps. If they keep doing that other countries will jump ahead of them, regardless whether they have a domestic FC competition or not.

True but as with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe there was a certain familiarity with that format in the playing and the coaching staff that made it somewhat easier to recognise the parameters required when preparing players to survive in the Test world and perhaps even a recognition that it was important for these players to get some time playing in Grade or County cricket. The Intercontinental Cup has been good for exposing the associates to a whole new world of cricket outside the Limited overs stuff but even where there is intensive rotation in the squads it will not quite generate the crictical mass of players with FC experience to make the jump to test cricket.
I think, though I am not entirely suer, that the Sahara Elite League is meant to give Kenya a bigger base of players with exposure to all forms of cricket rather than restrain the movement of the national team players. In any case as far as access to quality competitions the only places with a decent standard of FC cricket that have a track record of taking in Kenyans are Australia (which is a hell of a long way away to keep flying over two or three cricketers every time there is an international competition) and England (where outside club cricket one need a new passport or a spectaular World Cup to land a County) and South Africa who haven't done so in a while now.
European Associates despite having fewer barriers accessing the County Championship also have to deal with their players opting out of International duty to protect their access to these competitions so it would be good that when say 3 or 4 Irish players opt out of an Intercontinental Cup match to play for their counties their replacements will not be playing their first ever Multi innings cricket match on their Intercontinental Cup debut.

 

[andruid]

No play on day three In Scotland, Canada down to 62/5

 

[Janus]

you know there is something in me that's really pissed off that an abandonment scores more points than a rain affected draw. Their was never a chance of a result in the Ire/Can match so that means we've been penalised for being slightly less rainy that Scotland.

With Kenya and Namibia yet to play fairly easy matches against Netherlands and Bermuda that puts Ireland at a huge disadvantage having to potentially gain 25 points from the two matches in Kenya and Namibia to get to the Final.