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| Luck of the Irish Australian captain Ricky Ponting outlined his thoughts on the development of Irish cricket last season. Joyce welcomed his contribution. But while Joyce doesn't see Test cricket as an option in the foreseeable future, and limited overs cricket as a better option, how does Ireland get to the next stage if they lose their best players to England. Funding and opportunities are important as that leads to exposure, which creates funding opportunities and the opportunity for Irish players to test themselves against the best in the world while wearing the green of Ireland. “I think it’s important that we keep getting into the big tournaments,” Joyce told us. “That’s the most important thing. Exposure’s important at home, because it’s one of the lesser games. There’s obviously three or four sports much bigger than cricket, so we’ve just got to keep trying to get to the big competitions – the World Cups – and keep performing and keep getting games against the big teams and putting in decent performances, because I think that’s the key to keep the exposure there. All the young players will come up and hopefully the standard will improve and there’ll be a bit more money coming in and it becomes a virtuous circle where everything starts improving.” Developing Associates Last year, the then President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), John Barclay gave us an extensive interview. “For years the MCC has given the majority of its support to associate and affiliate members of ICC not the main Test Match playing countries, but to those beneath them such as Kenya and some of the African countries – indeed some European countries and South America,” he explained. “They really put their heart and soul into coaching tours in particular, so that has been the main thrust.” Sadly Kenya seems to have regressed after the triumph of the last World Cup in the West Indies. An embarrassing thrashing by New Zealand in their opening match sent them back to the drawing board. They were dismissed for just 69 and the Kiwis knocked off the runs in just eight overs without losing a wicket. Nevertheless, the Dutch put up a respectable show, narrowly losing to England. “I think Dutch cricket is a different subject really,” Barclay told us. “They’ve quietly thrived for quite a long time, being much more at the centre of things – produced some very good cricketers and cricket teams and the fact that they’ve done so well isn’t so much of a surprise, but it’s very commendable.” So what should be done to take them to the next level. Even now they remain part-timers. Captain Pete Borren wants to see investment. They need funding to move to the next level. Without it Dutch cricket will eventually stagnate and an opportunity to spread the game will be lost. “I think when ICC come to consider and this is really an ICC matter as opposed to an MCC matter, although MCC will support wherever it can, I think all consideration is given by ICC to how best the game can be developed and players of countries can be encouraged and it’s encouragement that’s so important, so your point is a very valid one,” Barclay said. “If it is considered an encouragement to see where different nations can take their game forward, then that is something that ICC will look at very closely and wish to try and help if they can.” |
