Afghanistan and Ireland Are Poised to Join Cricket’s Elite

[DC_fan]

LONDON — The International Cricket Council plans to award Test status to Afghanistan and Ireland in a vote this week, adding the countries to the elite group of 10 nations that play the five-day format that is considered the sport’s highest level of competition.

If approved, Afghanistan and Ireland will be the first new Test countries since Bangladesh’s promotion to the sport’s most exclusive club in 2000. Both could play their debut Test matches next year.

Continued at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/20/...latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

 

[Twizzle]

Some one else for India to play twice a year to improve their rankings

 

[Front-Rower]

The compromise here surely has to be a divisional set up. The ICC has mulled over this for a few years now and with 12 teams is perfect for two groups of 6. Therefore the common sense approach would be to play each team in your division twice (home and away) with a minimum requirement to play teams in the other division once over a 4 year period.

 

[Bazal]

Great news. Get them on a circuit with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies and throw in a top nation tour every year or so. Twizz's sarcasm does raise a good point, it's no use letting India do to Afghanistan what they did to Bangladesh for so long.

CA should get behind this with a test series at smaller venes if they do grant these guys test status. A three Test series with matches at Canberra, Hobart, somewhere up North....ah, who am I kidding, if it's not a T20 series or an India tour CA couldn't care less

It will be interesting, if this does happen, to see what the next generation of guys like Eoin Morgan choose to do. They will no longer have to play for England to get to Test cricket.

 

[Timbo]

We've played three tests against Zimbabwe and four against Bangladesh since their respective promotions.

Not expecting Ireland or Afghanistan here any time soon.

 

[TheParraboy]

Great news. Get them on a circuit with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies and throw in a top nation tour every year or so. Twizz's sarcasm does raise a good point, it's no use letting India do to Afghanistan what they did to Bangladesh for so long.

What did India do to Bangers for so long? Not let them tour? At least they have played 9-10 tests in 17 years between them most of those India toured over there. SL (Murali era) have played almost double that

If anything we should take a good look at ourselves, 4 tests v Bangladesh in 17 years. Will be 6 tests if we can get on a plane over there this year , and that 6 test total will probably stay till god knows when we play them again?

 

[Bazal]

India used Bangladesh as a whipping boy or warm up team, clear as day. Even this year they played a single pointless test against them in between a big series against England and one against us. Not giving these sides any respect is just as bad as not playing them at all tbh.

 

[King hit]

I feel Ireland could pull of an upset or two in the longer format, they always surprise someone at the world cup. Afghanistan seems a bit premature to me.

 

[TheParraboy]

Some one else for India to play twice a year to improve their rankings

gives us a break from going there?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I feel Ireland could pull of an upset or two in the longer format, they always surprise someone at the world cup. Afghanistan seems a bit premature to me.

You haven't been paying attention then. Ireland have been overtaken by Afghanistan over the last two years or so.

The problem Afghanistan has is who is going to tour there? They will have to play away from home, probably on the roads and in empty stadiums of the UAE which will do nothing to improve their game. I'd love to see them join the test nations but do we really want a minnow who doesn't have a home?

Ireland have a better set up and would do ok, however the jump up from where they are to Bangladesh and West Indies level is still sizeable.

The hardest part of these two sides coming in is convincing sides to play them. They're not going to bring in big broadcast dollars so anyone other than Zimbabwe are only going to play them if forced to and compensated properly.

 

[Red Bear]

Great stuff. Now what is required is a healthy dose of patience because it will take a fair while for these sides to become properly competitive.

Interesting how Ireland works first class cricket. Its important to have your own comp but with County Cricket nearby their best players would likely get more out of that than anything domestic.

I also think Ireland will benefit from proximity to England when it come to touring sides. I imagine Afghanistan will like Pakistan be based out of UAE?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Afghanistan have used the UAE and Greater Noida India as a home base.

 

[Timbo]

This is great news. But the other ten nations (particularly the top 8) need to be proactive and start scheduling series against them now so they can start building their fixture count and become competitive (which will take about a decade).

I personally would like to see us re-introduce winter series in Darwin, Cairns and Townsville in non-Ashes years with those series rotated between Ireland, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the West Indies. Also during home Ashes summers, we could possibly play a two test series against one of them as a warm up before the main event (like England do).

However as someone above said, why would we ever do that when we can squeeze in a three T20I series against India?

 

[AlwaysGreen]

So who do they play their first test against? Each other would be the easiest route but there are other options that could make it a memorable event.

Ireland v England in Ireland would be great.

Afghanistan v Pakistan in the UAE. Crowd might not be massive but seeing how the game was introduced into Afghanistan by the Pakistanis it would be fitting.

Then I can see both newcomers playing the Bangers, Windies, Zims, Sri Lanka, NZ mainly for a few years before taking on the big boys regularly.

 

[Stewbum]

So who do they play their first test against? Each other would be the easiest route but there are other options that could make it a memorable event.

Ireland v England in Ireland would be great.

Afghanistan v Pakistan in the UAE. Crowd might not be massive but seeing how the game was introduced into Afghanistan by the Pakistanis it would be fitting.

Then I can see both newcomers playing the Bangers, Windies, Zims, Sri Lanka, NZ mainly for a few years before taking on the big boys regularly.

Sadly they are in a group comprising themselves and Zimbabwe. So no other nations will be compelled to play them. Most likely ireland will play one off tests against sides touring England. Afghanistan likewise with sides touring the sub-continent, and Zimbabwe to sides touring South Africa.

Of the three Afghanistan show the most promise. Expect them to replace the West Indies in the main group within 5-10 years. With a world class spinner who is only 18, it is imperative that they take on the world's best sooner.

 

[Timbo]

Afghanistan may have the raw talent now, but Ireland have the systems in place to start producing elite talent consistently.

I could see them being on par with NZ within 20 years. They'll never consistently be World #1, but I think they'll be a regular punch-above-their-weight power. They've grown the game immensely in the last decade to the point that it's now a mainstream summer sport, and this announcement means their funding effectively doubles overnight.

 

[Stewbum]

Afghanistan may have the raw talent now, but Ireland have the systems in place to start producing elite talent consistently.

I could see them being on par with NZ within 20 years. They'll never consistently be World #1, but I think they'll be a regular punch-above-their-weight power. They've grown the game immensely in the last decade to the point that it's now a mainstream summer sport, and this announcement means their funding effectively doubles overnight.

I'm not so sure. Ireland have no-one coming through to replace their ageing squad. Afghanistan keep rotating players in and out and thus are developing their talent on the International stage.

 

[Twizzle]

Are the Irish players allowed to jump ship and start playing for Ireland immediately or do they have to stay with the poms ?

 

[Stewbum]

Are the Irish players allowed to jump ship and start playing for Ireland immediately or do they have to stay with the poms ?

Prediction: Zero Irishmen playing tests all over the world for England give it up to play one off tests against 2nd string sides starting their tour of England. I'd like it to be otherwise though.

Perhaps when a more rational grouping of test nations than 9 - 3 occurs.

 

[Pete Cash]

Afghanistan may have the raw talent now, but Ireland have the systems in place to start producing elite talent consistently.

I could see them being on par with NZ within 20 years. They'll never consistently be World #1, but I think they'll be a regular punch-above-their-weight power. They've grown the game immensely in the last decade to the point that it's now a mainstream summer sport, and this announcement means their funding effectively doubles overnight.

Afghanistan needs work but cricket is the most popular sport and they have a huge population.