Development
Cricket's 50-over World Cup has a unique selling point. It guarantees the development of minnows at the premier event. The Associate Nations are a step below the elite cricketing nations, but if cricket is to develop into a worldwide sport, then minnows must be turned into competitive cricketing nations. Cricket achieves this during World Cups. The best of the Associate Nations can qualify for these tournaments and further their development.

Canada is in the Indian sub-continent for experience – they have a long way to go – and Kenya seems to have regressed, but Ireland is a good test of the intentions of the International Cricket Council (ICC). They are among the better Associate Nations. The Dutch are a good measure as well. England captain Andrew Strauss agrees. When Ireland turned down the chance to play in the CB40 tournament, the Netherlands seized their chance.

“They’ve shown they are very capable at short forms of the game, so I think they’ll be a competitive side,” Strauss told Empower-Sport Magazine exclusively last year. “The more sides that are competitive at international level the better it is for the game. It’s as simple as that. We need sides to be competitive and probably the only way that sides like Holland will become more competitive is from having more exposure, so I suppose in that sense it is a good thing that they are getting that exposure.”

Pom-Bashing
Ireland found an unlikely champion last year. Australian captain Ricky Ponting championed their cause, bemoaning the fact that Ireland's best players ended up playing for England, thereby depriving the Irish of their best talent. Ed Joyce sees it from both sides. “I thought it was good from Ricky Ponting, because he only said positive things about Irish cricket and the development of it,” Joyce told us.

But Ireland needs those players to reach its potential. “[Eoin] Morgan’s obviously making his way for England at the moment and obviously I did the same thing,” Joyce said. “You know I can never criticise that. You know the opportunity’s there for people, but hopefully in a few years time that option is that Ireland is playing good cricket and there’s enough money there to pay these guys professionally, which isn’t the case at the moment.”
Ponting was accused of Pom-Bashing, but Joyce doesn't see it that way. “I thought it was quite positive from Ponting because he didn’t just go and play the game in Ireland, he actually went and he got involved in interviews and really said some positive things about Irish cricket,” said Joyce. “Obviously I think he made comments about Irish players coming here and that they should stay and play for Ireland and that it would be good if the ICC helped that out. That would be ideal.”