It is also clear that the ECB do not want Ireland (or anyone else) plying ODIs and Tests during the summer as it could adversely impact their TV contracts and revenue.
There is one particularly telling little detail in the new book about the Associates, Second XI: Cricket in its Outposts. Since Ireland’s success in the 2007 World Cup, England have played an ODI against them every other year, a gesture that has been spun as a sign of the ECB’s commitment to helping to grow the game in Ireland.
In fact these matches were offered, along with a lot of cash, in return for Cricket Ireland’s agreement not to schedule home ODIs at the same time as England fixtures, for fear that this would undermine the ECB’s own broadcasting rights deal. That was after Ireland managed to arrange home fixtures against both India and South Africa in the summer of 2007. Neither side has been back since.
Apparently Kerrigan has irish roots but he'll not qualify until 2017 and I'm not too sure he'll play ahead of Dockrell amyway. Plunkett was on the radar as well and would have qualified this feb but he got a recall. And IIRC Sean Ervine has an irish passport but I dont think he was too keen on playing for them. Still only 32. Seems like ages since he played for zimbabweTBH they probably could if they so wanted. Only need to look at the football team to see how many can get passports. only issue would be the players potentially jepodising their county commitments and thus risking all - the Irish authority wont be able to compensate for it so it becomes a big gamble. Really it'd need a player of enough standing at club level to feel safe enough to do it, but not near the England team - Someone like Tom Smith or Kyle Hogg before he retired at Lancs, maybe even someone like CW All Time Legend Rikki Clarke.....
Murtagh would be there.What would the ideal Irish fantasy land test side look like?
Stirling | Porterfield | Joyce | NO'Brien | Morgan | Wilson (wk) | KO'Brien | Mooney | Dockrell | Young | Rankin
??
There is no fun without the chicken dance.What would the ideal Irish fantasy land test side look like?
Stirling | Porterfield | Joyce | NO'Brien | Morgan | Wilson (wk) | KO'Brien | Mooney | Dockrell | Young | Rankin
??