Shortly afterwards they’ll be heading off to Sri Lanka for the Twenty20 World Cup, so by the time local clubs don the whites in April most of our top players will have already completed a ‘season.’
It says much for the progress of cricket in Ireland that our national team is now firmly established on the world stage and while the lofty dream of test status seems as far away as ever, there’s no doubt that Ireland has established a reputation as the ‘best of the rest’ at the top of the Associates ladder. Just to highlight how far they have moved forward look at the fortunes of Scotland in comparison and reflect that not so long ago they were beating Ireland regularly.
International cricket in Ireland has moved at a rapid pace in the last decade, but can the same be said for cricket below the highest level, especially at grass roots? There’s no doubt that Youth Cricket is well structured and the work of Cricket Development Officers is showing results, but the picture is perhaps not as rosy down the line. The new Interprovincial Series has been a welcome addition to the Fixture List and will help fill the gap between the top and the bottom of the cricket ladder, but a serious review of club cricket is urgently needed within each union to assess the strength and weaknesses involved and make plans to ensure the lifeblood of cricket remains fertile. Some people might not see the urgency, but there little doubt the game is struggling in many locations and if the supply of young cricketers is compromised then it will inevitably filter up. Also, it is important within any structure to know what’s happening and 5-year reviews and Fact-finds would go a long way towards monitoring progress or the lack of it.
There is a serious challenge for amateur clubs to prosper in modern times given the threats from other sports including televised sport, lack of sponsors, poor weather, players leaving the game, debt, high cost of ground maintenance and in some clubs, too much money being paid to players. A lot of publicity is given to professionalism within the game, but it is difficult to see how clubs can participate at the highest level without paying its best players. Loyalty is not what it used to be, but there’s no point looking back as the game and its culture has changed dramatically and virtually everything is not what it used to be. Like it or loathe it, a more selfish culture exists in modern sport and it transcends both the professional and the amateur ethos. It’s not good for any sport, but it is a juggernaut that can’t be stopped. We therefore need to deal with it and move on.
At the end of the day every club is in control of its own destiny and has to make the decisions that best suit their objectives, but some strugglers might need a helping hand from the unions. It is certainly going to be tough for all clubs in 2014 and if Cricket Ireland continues to reap rewards at the highest level from the rich ICC coffers then more funds must be ploughed into cricket at grassroots, as that’s where the game gets its lifeblood. The administration within Cricket Ireland is growing every year, but there needs to be a balance that takes cognizance of the development of the game at club level or cricket will stagnate or disappear in some locations.
