It has been three years since Ireland last played a test match.© AFP
Irish skipper Andrew Balbirnie has said being a full ICC member just feels like a name right now, as it’s been three years since his team last played a test match. Ireland’s progress has been slow since they became full members of the ICC in 2017, culminating in a first-round exit at the 2021 World Cup in T20. “We’re a Test Member, or a Full Member, but right now it just really feels like a name. There’s nothing really to show for that. We’ve spent our days at Lord’s and Malahide, but other than that I can see is a name It will be three years in the summer that we have not played a test match,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Balbirnie as saying.
Ireland’s full member status means that, after a two-year grace period, their players no longer qualify as local residents in county cricket.
“In my opinion that was hugely disadvantageous for some of the young cricketers here. It’s hugely disappointing to see all these brilliant Test series around the world – especially the Ashes, staying up all night to watch such an historic series “I’m going back to that Lord’s Test because it was the pinnacle of a career. For the young guys who come through to maybe not have that experience anymore, that’s hugely disappointing,” Balbirnie said.
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Ireland is currently in Florida to play two T20Is and three ODIs against the US, which is why they are the first Full Member to play against the US on US soil.
“We were very disappointed with the T20 World Cup and this is just a chance to go out and try to play with a little bit of freedom and give the guys the confidence to go out and express themselves. It’s easy to say that, but we all have to go out there and do it once we get over that line. I’ve seen a lot of good things in the period we’ve had here,” Balbirnie said.
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