News: Ireland get 10th ranking in ODI table….
Ahead of both Kenya and Zimbabwe, and 8 points shy of Bangladesh…..
This is a little interesting for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Champions Trophy qualifying round, if held again, is held between the rankings 7-10. Zimbabwe are not an automatic selection for that anymore. Secondly, there is some incentive for all of Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Kenya, to invite Ireland for an ODI series, especially the former 2.
Finally, it looks like Ireland will be playing 1, and possibly 2 games against WI in summer, followed by an ODI each against SA and India. So they have 4 big games to look forward to in the summer, in addition to at least a couple of ODIs v Netherlands, and 1 against Scotland. Now, I dont think that SA or Ind will let up, but WI without Lara in Irish conditions ??!! ….. hmmm, that will be interesting.
Overall, it seemed from this world cup that the associates, minus Bermuda, may be comepetitive against England and West Indies, but not really the rest. I know what happenned to Pakistan and to India/ SA, but what I am talking about it consistently competitive against a big8 team in a 3-5 match ODI series. Currently, it looks like that can only be done against england and WI. But at least the gap is bridging.
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Nasir M. Khan
Nishadh Rego
Nasir M. Khan\'s Cricket blog 
Not only that, the ICC would now find it a little difficult to explain the following:
1. If by 2009, Ireland continue to be better ranked than Zim, will they still be asked to qualify for the 2011 edition of the WC while the lower ranked Zim gains automatic qualification by virtue of its Full membership?
2. How would a victory against Ireland count now? Again it would be silly if Scotland/Canada/Netherlands have to wait till they defeat 11th placed Zim twice even if they’ve defeated the 10th placed Ire twice in order to make it to the main table!
3. If Ireland can get such a high rating on the ODI table, why are Kenya still on zero? Afterall, didn’t they defeat Ireland a couple of months back, not to forget their 2-2 draw against Zim last year?
Ram,
A full member country is a full member country…. one that will get full member perks irrespective of their standing…. this is stupid, true, but this is the rule…. the point of this rule is based on a number of assumptions and some colonial thinking as well…… one of the assumptions is that the game is solidly established in the country….. which is not true in the case of Zim………
Kenya are on 0 points because Bangladesh beat them in 7 straight games, and Kenya lost all the points gained against the 2 Zim victories………..
What everyone involved needs to do in the later case is for Kenya to host Zim for a 5 match series……. that should get them up on some points again…….
Both Zim and Bangladesh play only about 12 ODIs a year each…. This number should definitely be increased….. at least the ICC should get these 2 to play the associates in at least a couple of series…….
For associates to get into the ODI table, they at least need to be given the oppurtunity to play the full members…… Kenya, Scotland and Ireland are the sides that need to be given more exposure, esp against Bangladesh and Zim………. for the other 3, ICCs plan off given a one off event will probably do for the time being without getting the minnow bashers riled up……..
Why does the ICC not grant Test Status to all Associates. The only way they will learn is if they play morwe against better teams. Look at Kenya. Their progress was hampered due to no matches. Please organize more matches Ireland and all other nations.
Thanks to Ireland for bringing some freshness into the Competition. Ws tired of watching the same teams particiapte again and again. Please tell the Irish Cricket Union to organise lots of ODI’s and Tests. Also great to see their commitment compated to certain pampered players.
It is imperative that all domestic matches should be shown on Television. This would provide greater exposure of the game and would also drive the First Class players and will result in Competitive games.
A World Cricket league could also be formed. this could involve 40 teams (3 from each of the Test Playing nations and 1 each from the lesser 10 nations. This would help the lesser players to get a change • For Example • Currently an Australian 3rd side would beat most of the Test Playing nations. So this would provide an opportunity to these players. This league could be throughout the year and organized at different times of the year in different countries.
Another advantage would be that the teams would develop a Reserve strength in case any of their International Players in injured. This would be most beneficial to lesser nations as they would have a wider pool of players and would benefits by touring different countries and getting accustomed to different conditions.
The ICC would benefit greatly from the Sponsorship and TV Rights and the viewers would have more number of matches to follow. Great for Everyone.
It is great to hear accolades from all sections for the Irish Cricket Team from all quarters for their brilliant performance. It was a truly remarkable performance. However accolades alone wont help, it is the time for some action.
The ICC should immediately grant them Test Status and more aid and financial resources to build their infrastructure. The Irish Cricket Union should organize more tours and international matches against the top nations. A hectic schedule with lots of competitive matches should be organized immediately. Also they should sign up with many Sponsors while the team is in the limelight or they might loose out quickly.
Finally, wishing them all the best for their future and hoping to see a lot more of the Chicken Dance in the future. The same holds true for all Associates.
Associate Boards, Please Wake up. The associate nations have lots of talent as shown in this World Cup. However they are suffering due to lack of initiative and laziness of the Boards to arrange matches against top teams. The perfect example is Kenya whose performance has gone down after the 2003 WC due to lack of matches. They may loose initially like Bangladesh did but the only way to improve is more and more matches against the Top Teams.
The Boards also do not realize the importance of Television matches on National TV. All matches (Domestic and International) should be shown on National TV. TV is the only way to generate interest in the game which will automatically lead to more Sponsorship, Revenue and Growth. Also the Boards must cash in now on the World Cup Fever now and the good performance of th ASSOCIATES otherwiest they will never get a change again to find Sponsors. I would request you to recommend the Board to have such a hectic schedule that the players do not even have time to breathe- that is the only way to improve – through hard work.
I am baffled that the Bangladesh Team is playing so few matches inspite of such a young and Talented side and so much of public interest. A point is the forthcoming series against India – only 2 tests and 7 ODI’s whereas normally we would have 3 tests and 7 ODI’s. My recommendation to the Bangladesh Cricket Board – Please arrange more matches – that is the only way to improve.
The ICC 10 year Program should be scrapped immediately. It gives the Associates no chance since the Senior Teams have already arranged their schedules and are reluctant to accomodate Associate Teams. This is causing a SENIOR MAFIA where the seniors will never allow other teams to come ahead and improve.
A good example is Kenya’s downfall after the 2003 WC. None of the major teams came ahead and supported them. Instead they were not given any matches and they slumped. The ICC is really not interested in Development and should realise that Development has to happen quickly or cricket may loose out to other lucrative sports. This is the reason FIFA has more than 180 full memebers and ICC just 10.
The best way is to make it compulsory for Senior Teams to have one associate in any triangular or quadrangular series. Associates should be given atleast 36 ODI’s and 12 Tests against the top teams every year. Any team refusing to encourage Associate Teams should be penalised heavily.
Please wake up ICC before it is too late.
neel1210
I don’t think all associates should be granted Test Status, however I feel that Kenya & Ireland & maybe Scotland are ready. Ireland & Scotland could have a first-class team in the English county scene that would allow them to play any player they attract regardless of his nationality (just like other English counties). At the same time, they could also play separate Test matches with only eligible national players. This would alleviate the situation where their very best players are lost to other counties and potentially to the Irish & Scottish national team (e.g. Ed Joyce). In other words they could still play English county cricket and Test cricket without actually having to leave their country. Kenya & Zimbabwe could enter their teams in the South African first-class structure in a similar way. This would develop the game in Zim, Ken, Scot & Ire greatly.
Furthermore, to ease these three teams into Test cricket & to allow Zimbabwe to ease back into it, Tests involving Zim, Ken, Ire & Scot should be excluded from the Test championship but still be granted official Test status. other countries could play play one off home Tests against them when they tour South Africa & England respectively. E.g. Aust/Ind/SL/SA/Eng/WI/Ban/Pak/NZ could tour South Africa for a three Test series and then play one-off Tests against Kenya & Zimbabwe which are still Tests but not included in the Test championship. They could do the same when they tour England and play a one-off Tests against Scotland & Ireland.
If Zim, Ken, Ire & Scot start winning these limited number of Tests they can then graduate to the actual Test championship.
In fact, these 4 teams could play regular Tests against each other & after say 2 years the winner is included in the Test championship and could challenge the ninth team – this would allow a promotion, relegation system to be implemented while at the same time allowing all Test teams to play ecah other at some point in time.
I know this is pie in the sky stuff, but I think this idea could really work & could do a lot to fulfil the ICC’s dream of global expansion of cricket.
What do people think?
Frank Farchione
Melbourne, Australia
Frank Farchione, you are right about not letting all the associates get test status, at a whopping 32 new test nations, it would be chaos.
I disagree with your list of second tier test nations, for one I’m going to be skeptical about Zimbabwe, I think the big test for Zimbabwe would be for them to be able to hold on to their current players, it seems that if a player asks for more money or is in any way critical of the ZCU board, they have a way of finding themselves out of the side. For a test team to be viable, you need to have young players being able to carve out a proper career for themselves, and Zimbabwe isn’t allowing this to happen.
Also, I’d stick The Netherlands in that list of provisional test nations, they are a decent side, certainly on par with
Ireland and Scotland, and also top class international competition in Europe needs to get beyond it’s sheltered waters of the British Isles.
Neel1210, the top associates can’t handle too many games right now, because a lot of their players would have a very difficult time getting off work.BUT, if they can start getting a few games and building from there, they can make the transition to semi-pro, and eventually fully professional sides, then they can play a lot of games.
You’re right about associates getting T.V. coverage, particularly in their home countries, many of the players interviewed in CricketEurope’s “playerlines” articles have said that T.V. coverage will make a big difference, to both mainstream public interest as well as revenue.
Cuen,
I think your points about both Zim & Neth are quite valid. Neth are as good as Scot & Ire.
I do feel however, that once Zim comes out of its diabolical political state as a nation (i.e. once Mugabe is gone) his cronies (Chingoka & Bvute) will no longer be running the game and they will be in a position once again to be a very competitive Test nation. I say this because they do have genuine young talent and a lot of class players around the world who have quit the game at international level.
I think there is a solution to the current Zim problem but it would require the ICC to have some guts (they do not have guts).
Just as the ICC no longer recognised the Kenya Cricket Assocciation (when Kenya cricket was mismanaged a couple of year ago) & the USACA (who couldn’t agree on a constitution) for a while, the ICC should stop recognising ZC on political grounds as well as for reasons to do with both player & game mismanagement. They should however reintroduce Zim as a Test nation in exile, inviting all Zim players who have left the country and any wishing to leave to play as a Test nation representing a true face of Zim cricket (the Flowers, Taibu, Streak, Goodwin, Olonga, Ervine, Friend, Panyangara, Hondo, Masakadza, Chigumbura, Utseya, Matsikeneyeri, Ebrahim, Wishart, Carlisle, Blignaut, Chibhabha, Ireland, Mupariwa, Mahwire, Mpofu, Rainsford, Rogers, Taylor, Kasteni – any combination of these guys could be a fairly good Test team. A great mixture of youth and experinence). This not only sends a message to ZC that the rest of the cricket fraternity is fed up with the damage they have done to the game there but also sends a message to Mugabe that as an International community we do not endorse him. This way we are boycotting this nation but not its team or its players.
They could play Tests around the world including home tests at neutral venues like UAE, SA, Ken or Eng.
Frank, thats not going to happen…… ICC cannot stop recognizing a board unless there is mismanagement, or if the UN stops recognizing the country or bans it………
I would think that with the current state, Zim board would have qualilfied for the ‘mismanagement’ part, but apparently not.
Secondly, about the ‘moral’ question ….. I think you have to take the democratic nature of the ICC into account….. Aus and Eng have a problem with Zim, the other 7 members apparently dont…. so why would the ICC want to send any message across? That is exactly why Zim is still around, becuase there are 7 members out of 9 who are ok with Zim being there….
Nasir,
This may be so but it is clearly wrong that Zim are still there. Their players who haven’t already left the country are currently being held to ransom. It is sad that so many great players have gone from Zim but who could blame them.
The situation there, cricket and otherwise is diabolical.
NZ also have a problem with Zim there.
Actually my country’s board seems to think they are OK because Aus still tours there when required because of Future Tours commitments (much to my disgust)and Ponting himself states that it is not his place to get involved in politics. This is a joke.
I pointed out clearly that the ICC nees to do something but they are a toothless tiger.
Nasir, I know my sugestion wont happen. None of them will -but I permit myself to dream for a better day in Zim and for the state of cricket in countires regarded as ‘minnows’.
In fact, most suggestions put forward on this blog may not happen either because people (especially in Aus, Ind & Eng) are too narrow minded to include minnows in World Cricket. Instead of encouraging lesser nations to compete, people in high places constantly minnow bash. What’s more, unfortunately cricket is now about money and TV rights not about promoting the game. As such coutries like Ban, Ken, Scot, Ire, Nep, Afg, Neth etc..won’t get a look in and cricket will not globalise as a result.
Again however, I permit myself to dream & share my thoughts with you all.
Frank,
The argument about Zim standards and interest etc. can go as far as Kenya, Ireland and Scotland are concerned, but not beyond. In fact, Zim can get 4-5K people in the ground against Bangaldesh, which is probably something that Kenya cannot do so at the momment…….. Ireland may be able to do so now, But Scotland could not get 4K in the ground in a match against Pak (or was that the ground seating limit?)….
Zimbabwe is definitely better than Netherlands, Bermuda, Canada, Namibia when it comes to both standard, following, and youth development. In fact, Zim U19 is quite strong.
So the ICC is unlikely to turn their back on Zim……. it is still one of its better teams in the world………. they should however, give as much preference to Kenya, Scotland and Ireland.
Nasir,
I agree with you about the relative general standard & popularity of cricket in Zim. In fact, it is probably their most popular sport. Zim is a genuine cricket nation – and as such they should remain a full member of the ICC and probably will.
In fact, apart from Bermuda the only associates/affiliates who in my view are genuine cricket nations (i.e. moreso than Ire, Scot, Ken, Neth & Can) are probably Nepal & Afghanistan in terms of popularity of the sport amongst the general population.
The problem is that Zim’s strong under 19 team is by and large continuously and simultaneously also its senior team whose players are just too inexperienced to go up against the likes of Ponting, Warne, Murali, Lara, Tendulkar etc…despite their genuine talent.
This is because often, instead of these players being nurtured, they are lost once they reach a certain (young) age & their ability warrants a pay rise.
A perfect example of this is Tinashe Panyangara who took 8 for(I think) when Zimbawe skittled Australia for 83 in the u/19 world cup a few years ago. He was very soon thrust into the national team (probably justified based on performance), showed a lot of promise but is now gone from the Zim cricket landscape.
Also, the fact that their young national captain in Tatenda Taibu left the game because of threats to him & his family plus the fact that he is owed money is an abominable worry.
The ICC cannot continue to ignore these things if they genuinely want the game in Zimbabwe to grow and prosper. At the moment, just like the country itself, the game is in serious decline and this is directly due to mismanagement, corruption & negligence.
Something has to be done.
btw….. i dont know what happenned, but Ireland are more than 8 points shy of Bangaldesh……