CRICKET IRELAND’S CEO has reasserted his belief that Ireland will be a Test-playing nation by 2020.
Asked if Ireland was still on course to meet the main objective set out in its 2012 strategic plan, Warren Deutrom insisted: “Yes, I think so.”
Phil Simmons’ side — who now have one eye on the Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year — have firmly established themselves as the leader among the sport’s second-tier Associate nations.
Deutrom believes that Ireland’s success and vision paved the way for other aspiring Associates, and was instrumental in the ICC’s creation of a pathway to Test cricket.
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“I remember when we launched that strategy, it probably came out of the middle of nowhere,” Deutrom told this week’s episode of The Slog Sweep podcast.
“At that stage the ICC probably hadn’t iterated its thoughts about Test countries being expanded beyond the current group.
“I know there were a couple of other Associates who went out publicly and said, ‘What a stupid idea that is, what on earth are you focusing on that for?’
“It was quite pleasing to see that when the ICC then launched its strategy to all other countries to play Test cricket, some of those other countries got on board and said, ‘Yes, we’re aiming to be a Test country.’
Arrogant or not, and I hope it doesn’t come across this way, I have no doubt that the ICC would not have put that pathway in place had Ireland not stated its claim to be so because at that stage there was no other country that was ever talking about being a Test country.
“I’d like to think that we were very much at the vanguard of creating that pathway.
“Is it still important [to be a Test nation]? Hell yes, it is very important. Why? Because it’s the best.”
In ‘Club Corner’, President of Greystones Cricket Club David Drane joined the team in studio, while we also hear from Leinster U13 manager Michael O’Gorman, and YMCA & Ireland Women’s Emma Flanagan.
Deutrom: I still believe that Ireland will be playing Test cricket by 2020
CRICKET IRELAND’S CEO has reasserted his belief that Ireland will be a Test-playing nation by 2020.
Asked if Ireland was still on course to meet the main objective set out in its 2012 strategic plan, Warren Deutrom insisted: “Yes, I think so.”
Phil Simmons’ side — who now have one eye on the Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year — have firmly established themselves as the leader among the sport’s second-tier Associate nations.
Deutrom believes that Ireland’s success and vision paved the way for other aspiring Associates, and was instrumental in the ICC’s creation of a pathway to Test cricket.
“I remember when we launched that strategy, it probably came out of the middle of nowhere,” Deutrom told this week’s episode of The Slog Sweep podcast.
“At that stage the ICC probably hadn’t iterated its thoughts about Test countries being expanded beyond the current group.
“I know there were a couple of other Associates who went out publicly and said, ‘What a stupid idea that is, what on earth are you focusing on that for?’
“It was quite pleasing to see that when the ICC then launched its strategy to all other countries to play Test cricket, some of those other countries got on board and said, ‘Yes, we’re aiming to be a Test country.’
“I’d like to think that we were very much at the vanguard of creating that pathway.
“Is it still important [to be a Test nation]? Hell yes, it is very important. Why? Because it’s the best.”
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Click here to listen to the full interview with Warren Deutrom on this week’s episode of The Slog Sweep, hosted by George Hook and Andrew Leonard.
In ‘Club Corner’, President of Greystones Cricket Club David Drane joined the team in studio, while we also hear from Leinster U13 manager Michael O’Gorman, and YMCA & Ireland Women’s Emma Flanagan.
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