Cricket: Another test loss for Irish
Irish cricket's fragility was exposed yet again last week when Boyd Rankin, Ireland's fastest bowler, became the latest player to be cherry-picked by England.
Rankin (pictured) has not been lost to the Irish cause yet -- he has been selected to train with England's development squad -- but he is on his way. If he reaches his full potential Rankin will play for England in some form of the game.
Like Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan, Ireland's best batsmen, Rankin wants to play at the highest level. Since Ireland is denied Test match status by the ICC, cricket's governing body, opting for England is the only possible route for Ireland's best players.
For the foreseeable future Irish cricket will develop players so that England can benefit from its best talent because the ICC has no apparent interest in broadening Test cricket beyond its current, tightly restricted, market. It is a system that caps Ireland's potential, frustrates the development of the game and ensures that even when we qualify for World Cups, as we have for 2011, we turn up weaker than we should be.
Rankin has no choice but to follow his dream with England because the ICC will not allow Ireland to join its party.
- Alan Ruddock
Originally published in
