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Joyce Richardson's avatar

Great to get clarification and insight into a very important question from that punter in Clontarf. Thanks Nathan

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Barry O'Keeffe's avatar

Looking at next year's FTP Ireland are due to play 2 Tests 6 ODI’s and 6 T20’s which seems are reasonable quantity especially when considering the degree of player overlap between the 3 formats

The only question will be will the new regime ensure these fixtures happen?

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Nathan Johns's avatar

Quite literally, money where their mouth is!

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Barry O'Keeffe's avatar

Outside of money

I recall someone (you?) mentioning that Afghanistan matches tend to be played in Northern Ireland, as there are visa issues in the Republic.

With Stormont' planned improvements, will this mean that your is under threat, if it is Sri Lanka are due for a white ball tour of England in September, could they do a West Indies and have a prep tour in Ireland

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Nathan Johns's avatar

I certainly have said that at various points. It’s based on a theory thanks to Afghanistan playing in Stormont in their last two tours, rather than any expertise in immigration law. Stormont funding has still not yet been secured, so I wouldn’t be planning on it being out of action next summer just yet

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Barry O'Keeffe's avatar

Events seem to have aged my thoughts

Dueteron point has merit, but he is also open to criticism

Probably unfairly I felt that he saw matches as an inconvenience interrupting the smooth running of administration

Zimbabwe seem to almost have a Field of Dreams approach of play and they (fans, broadcasting and the next generation of players) will follow. I support this approach, imagine the Newspaper headlines, interest from the casual supporters if Ireland beat England in the first of the September T20's, and further imagine that it was happening in the School Summer holidays free of competition from bigger team sports Always felt that lacked ambition and confidence in the quality of the product on the 🏑 and

I do have sympathy with his frustration with ICC, the funding model supports the calcification of cricket, with the rich getting richer and the poor left to wither on the vine

I feel this is very short-sighted of the ICC, the current situation does not mean forever, I am old enough to remember how poor the 1985 Aussies were, how uncompetive India were away from home, England being ranked 9/9 in 1999 and the collosous that was the West Indies

What I am trying to say is that nothing remains static, and for test cricket to survive then other teams need to be able to heat the Big 3, So the current funding model needs to be more socialist in it's distribution, a supportive fund freeing teams to play tests without worrying about Hugh losses

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