Ireland cricket chief Warren Deutrom urged the global governing body to run the sport as a “meritocracy” by giving smaller nations the chance to achieve Test status.
Deutrom welcomed a decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reverse controversial plans to bar so-called “minnows” from the next World Cup – but said up-and-coming nations like Ireland deserved a chance at the “holy grail” of cricket.
“The one thing we shouted out more loudly than anything else is ‘meritocracy’ – not ‘we want to be given this as a right’, but ‘we want the opportunity to be better’,” said Deutrom.
Ireland performed on par with many of the Full Member, or Test-playing, nations at this year’s World Cup, including a stunning victory against England. They also upset Pakistan during their first World Cup appearance in 2007.
But there is no official route or timetable for Ireland to be awarded Test status, frustrating their players, administrators and fans.
“All we’ve asked for from the very start is simply a roadmap to where we go next because what we’ve done, and what we’ve achieved, is everything that has been asked of us,” said Deutrom.
Ireland were among a number of second-tier nations to voice outrage in April when the ICC said it would limit participation in the 2015 World Cup to the 10 Test-playing nations.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2011.
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